Hello. I work on watches for a living and I would be happy to try to help you. I don't have all the information that I need, but I have enough to try to help.
First, you don't want brass. Brass tarnishes quickly and is almost impossible to clean if you don't have a buffing machine. Gold can be cleaned with a rag that is impregnated with rouge, and while a buffer does a better job, you can "touch up" nicely with these rags. They run less than $5.00.
To answer the question about what your looking for, if you want a quality watch you should look for something like an Illinois Bunn Special. There are dozens of grades of this watch, but some can be had for $250 on eBay. A Hamilton 992b or 992e can be found for a similar amount.
Make sure any watch you buy is serviced and guaranteed, as a service can run $200-$300.
If you are looking for something smaller, a Hamilton 920 or 922 would do nicely.
Most cases for pocket watches are either a base metal, gold, or gold filled. If you buy a gold filled case – and this is what I recommend – you're looking for one without any brassing. Brassing is simply when the gold finishes worn through due to use. Gold filled watches have more gold than gold plates, but you can't properly replate them.
I will be happy to answer any other questions you have. I want to help!
