My first "proper watch" to me refers to my first Swiss automatic which was an Oris big crown pointer date, and at the time Swiss Auto from a well known manufacture that carries some cache and a higher price tag (750+) was what I meant.
I had a Seiko Kinetic Arctura at the time which had died so I was on the hunt for what I considered proper.
Of course, there are all sorts of Japanese/quartz watches that can also be considered proper, but I can only really say what I meant when I use/d the term.
A proper watch is designed to have lasting value, while others are part of disposable consumer culture, destined for a land fill.