Hands-on: Qin Gan Pastorale II in White Gold with Yellow Dial
China’s Philippe Dufour? Time will tell. Like many great independents, Master Qin’s journey blends early passion, restoration, persistence, and devotion to craftsmanship.
I had been reading about Qin Gan’s Pastorale II since last year and had seen a few photos of its classically styled dial and movement. Qin Gan, a watchmaker in his fifties from a city in Southwestern China, was hardly known outside the country before 2024. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to properly compare the Pastorale II with the work of top independent brands initially.
In February 2025, I met with James, a Hong Kong-based F.P.Journe collector whom I first connected with online many years ago. To my surprise, James was wearing his new Pastorale II, just for me to see. Bearing serial number 2, it was one of the very few examples delivered to collectors so far.
The dial was beautifully done. Slim blued hands stood out against an enchanting yellow background. Sleek Roman numerals were paired with a logo written in the maker's own Chinese calligraphy. At six o'clock, two words appeared in capital letters: “HAND MADE.”
Turning the watch over, I was struck by the originality and balance of the movement’s bridge design. Under a loupe, the hand-finishing revealed brilliant chamfers and a number of finely executed interior angles. The craftsmanship was unexpectedly beautiful and truly refined.
From that moment on, I knew I wanted to learn more about this intriguing Chinese independent. I’ve since done my research, and now I’m ready to share it with our readers.
A Brief Biography
Qin Gan was born in 1969 in Chongqing, the most populous city in China. His father, a watchmaker, owned a small repair shop. As a child, Qin Gan loved playing with his father’s tools and often tried to build things with them. However, his father discouraged him from pursuing mechanical watchmaking, sensing the rise of quartz technology.
Qin Gan later enrolled in an art school to study art and graphic design. But when his father passed away before he turned 18, he had to leave school to support himself. His first job was as an art editor at a local newspaper. For the next 30 years, he worked mainly as an art editor and later in the advertising industry.
Despite his career path, he never gave up watchmaking. It remained his passion on the side. Over the years, he created various prototypes of tourbillons, chiming watches, and automatons. For about 2 years, he even served as head watchmaker for Poly Hong Kong, the leading auction house in Greater China.
In 2017, Qin Gan officially registered a company under his own name and became a full-time independent watchmaker. He had seen renewed global interest in mechanical watches and was determined to make his mark. At last, he could devote himself fully to the craft he loved.
Not long after founding his brand, he made three extended trips to Europe. These visits helped him build connections within the watch industry and gain insights into current trends. One of the most meaningful encounters was with Dominique Renaud, who offered generous advice and support.
Equally important, these trips allowed him to learn more about collector tastes. It became clear that the most desired pieces from top independents were often simple 3-hand watches. Think of the Philippe Dufour Simplicity, the Rexhep Rexhepi RRCC 1 & 2, or the F.P.Journe Chronomètre Bleu. In these watches, fine finishing and original movement architecture were the key to excellence.
Qin Gan took this lesson to heart. He decided that his first creation under the new brand would be a 3-hand watch rooted in classical watchmaking, with a focus on hand finishing of the highest level. In 2019, he released the Pastorale I, followed by the Pastorale II in 2024. Both models were entirely hand-made and produced in very limited numbers. WooHoo Time in Shanghai became his first authorized dealer.
Master Qin’s extensive background in complications and restorations, combined with decades of experience in art and design, made him a rare artisan who bridges the worlds of design, engineering, and fine watchmaking. A true embodiment of connecting the dots.
To early clients and backers like James, Master Qin is China’s own Philippe Dufour, a dark horse in independent watchmaking.
Pastorale I
After two years of intensive work, Qin Gan released the Pastorale I in 2019. It was the debut creation of his young brand. This is a simple three-hand timepiece with a classical design, reminiscent of watches from the 1940s and 1950s. The watch is housed in a stainless steel case measuring 38.5mm in diameter and 9.5mm in thickness.
Inside is the in-house manual-wind movement, Caliber 1810. It comprises 143 components, including 3 gold chatons and 18 jewels. While the gear train may follow a tried-and-true architecture, the bridges were newly designed. Their layout was carefully conceived to showcase the lavish hand-finishing. A standout feature is the large balance wheel with 18 screws, beating at 2.5 Hz.
I had a chance to examine a Pastorale I during a visit to WooHoo Time in 2024, Qin Gan’s authorized dealer. Here are some photos I took during that visit.
Master Qin named the three-hand model 田园, or Pastorale, after a line from a well-known contemporary Chinese poem: “三千年读史，不外功名利禄；九万里悟道，终归诗酒田园.”
The translation reads: “Three thousand years of studying history reveal nothing but the chase for fame and fortune; ninety thousand miles of seeking the Way return, in the end, to poetry, wine, and the pastorale.”
The name reflects Master Qin’s personal longing for a simpler life — one focused on passion and craft, without concern for wealth or recognition.
As a fan of Beethoven’s classical music, Master Qin was also pleased that Pastorale is the nickname of the composer’s Sixth Symphony. That connection led him to produce only six pieces in the first batch of Pastorale I.
Ultimately, production of Pastorale I stopped at just six pieces. Master Qin had already found several ways to refine the design, and he was eager to move forward with an improved version.
Pastorale II
In 2021, Qin Gan opened the order book for an upgraded version of the Pastorale. He eventually accepted 15 orders, mostly from longtime followers and collectors like James. In 2024, the new model — named Pastorale II — was unveiled publicly. Five pieces were delivered that year, with the remaining 10 scheduled for delivery in 2025.
Compared to the original, Pastorale II introduced three major upgrades. First, the case is now made of precious metal, available in rose gold or white gold — a step up from the stainless steel of Pastorale I. The lugs have been slightly extended to give the case a more refined and streamlined look. The cases were sourced from a supplier named VSC Manufacture.
The rose gold version comes with a white dial, while the white gold version is paired with a yellow dial. About 60% of the clients chose the white gold and yellow dial combo.
The second major enhancement focused on the dial, which underwent several notable updates. Made in-house from 18k gold rather than silver as in the first edition, the dial features laser-abraded hour markers and logo, each filled with enamel through multiple rounds of high-temperature firing. The logo is now written in Master Qin’s own Chinese calligraphy (秦干), emphasizing the cultural roots of his work.
Third, the movement finishing has been further refined. Improvements can be seen in the Geneva stripes, inner and outer beveling, and the execution of the gold chatons. When placed side by side with Pastorale I, the differences in finishing are clearly noticeable.
Here are some photos of James’ Pastorale II, serial number 2, taken earlier this month.
When it comes to movement finishing, this remains very much a one-man effort. Master Qin does have an apprentice who assists with initial polishing, but the critical decorative work — including Geneva stripes, perlage, anglage, and internal angles — is all completed by Master Qin himself.
He also handles final assembly and timing regulation. Pastorale II is adjusted for accuracy within 10 seconds per day. The hand-made nature of each piece, largely executed by Master Qin alone, is a key reason behind the low production volume.
The stated production goal for Pastorale II is 15 pieces per year. In early 2025, another 10 pre-orders were accepted, with deliveries expected in 2026. The listed price is $48,300 before tax, according to the official website.
At first glance, there’s no denying the price is steep for a watch made in China. When the Pastorale I was first announced in 2019, it carried a much more modest price tag of $9,000.
This case brings to mind the now-legendary story of French watchmaker Pascal Coyon. His Series 1 was priced at an almost unbelievable $4,000. All 60 pieces sold out immediately, and it took him four years to fulfill the orders. Today, the price for Series 2 sits around $50,000.
Those who managed to secure the first generation from either Pascal Coyon or Qin Gan were exceptionally fortunate. For current and future owners of their second-generation timepieces, however, the pricing remains reasonable, given the craftsmanship and time required to produce each piece. Furthermore, at this level, clients are essentially patrons supporting the art of independent watchmaking.
The order book is currently closed, as Qin Gan and his small team focus on fulfilling existing commitments. New orders may open again in the first quarter of 2026. That said, production will remain limited, and long wait times should be expected.
Growing International Appeal & Recognition
With the release of Pastorale II, Qin Gan has significantly broadened the international appeal of his timepieces. Leading watch media, including Hodinkee, Quill & Pad, and Monochrome, have all published glowing coverage. More collectors of independent brands are taking notice of his exceptional hand finishing and dedication to traditional watchmaking.
In a recent Q&A session, a prominent Patek Philippe collector, known as @horology_ancienne on Instagram, named Qin Gan as one of only four independent brands he plans to collect. This was a remarkable endorsement from a collector with a seasoned eye.
For a young brand founded in 2017 by a watchmaker from China, this level of recognition is quite impressive. Yet Master Qin is not standing still. He continues to explore new techniques, refine his craft and seek out the best partners and suppliers. Given his deep passion and experience with high complications, it would not be surprising to see future models feature new and interesting complications.
This is an independent brand with a bright future, and no doubt, many more pleasant surprises to come. Follow the brand on Instagram at @qingan.official for updates, and reach out via the email listed on their website.
Note: all pictures were taken by author unless stated otherwise.
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Brilliant write up Henri !
Thank you for the eye opening article. I too have followed his work on IG, but this is fascinating to read. I hope he has much success, looks like he deserves it very much from what I can see and now read here.
Cheers,
Tim
Nice work brother, enjoyed reading this. I have seen it in person - in fact I accompanied horology ancienne when he saw it for the first time as well! It's well finished, no doubt. Thanks again.