Qin Gan throws his hat in the high-end independent ring with the Pastorale II
Borna Bošnjak- Chongqing-based Qin Gan releases the follow-up to his highly limited debut, with improvements across the board.
- The Pastorale II sports a Longines 30L-base calibre, with numerous components hand-made, and most hand-finished.
- With a choice of different enamel dials, the Pastorale II is priced right alongside its European and American high-end peers at US$46,000.
When talking about independent brands doing incredible things that aren’t from the traditional Meccas of watchmaking, their locale commonly becomes the focus. Chinese watchmaking is often on the receiving end of this thanks to inherent prejudice, when reality is quite the opposite. Not only is the country a world-leader in precision manufacturing, but it’s also home to numerous artisans like Qin Gan making beautiful objects like the Pastorale II. Cutting his teeth as a restorer and complication prototyping specialist, Qin Gan released his first-ever watch, the Pastorale, in 2021 as a limited edition of six pieces. Inspiration came from a Chinese poem, as well as Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony (hence six pieces), the watch was noted for its impressive degree of finishing. The Qin Gan Pastorale II builds on everything that made its predecessor great, including even better decoration and a finer enamel dial.
With a 38.5mm diameter, thickness of 9.5mm, and lug-to-lug of 46mm, the Pastorale II is available in either white or rose gold. Rendered in a contemporary-sized, mid-century-styled shape, the case sports a stepped bezel that drops down into subtly notched lugs with lovely scalloped sides. There’s not a single design feature of this watch that stands out so much to be called the star of the show, rather all working in unison for a thoroughly suave look. Qin Gan notes VSC Manufacture as the maker of the case, though there’s not much information available about the company. Nevertheless, job seemingly well done.
There’s more gold on the dial, as it’s what the blank is made of, though Qin Gan covers it with a layer of champagne or cream champlevé enamel. At first glance, I thought there may have been a mistake in the press release, as champlevé normally involves an engraved surface soaked in enamel, showing off the grooves through its translucent surface. In the case of the Pastorale II, it’s the ultra-elegant Roman numerals that are engraved into the dial, before enamel is deposited on top, technically making it champlevé. Whatever you call the enamelling technique, one thing is clear – this dial is an absolute smokeshow. I love the large index at 12 that interrupts the dual sector tracks flanking the rest of the numerals, and the blued, hand-bevelled handset is just perfectly proportioned. Text is minimal, limited to “hand made” on either side of 6 o’clock, and the logo at 12, changed from English to Chinese.
But a (really) nice champlevé enamel dial and gold case aren’t enough to warrant the high retail cost, so what’s the movement like? The Cal. 1810 is based on the architecture of a Longines 30L, originally produced between 1955 and 1967. Noted for its excellent performance at observatory chronometer trials, its large diameter and accompanying balance wheel were its most recognisable feature. But the Cal. 1810 isn’t a refurbished, NOS Longines movement. Qin Gan produces the wheel train and mainplate himself, decorating the entire thing by hand, including côtes de Genève, anglage, and perlage, with chaton-set jewels. The large balance beats at a slow 18,000vph, with a 36-hour power reserve topped up manually.
Qin Gan Pastorale II pricing and availability
The Qin Gan Pastorale II will be produced in limited quantities, with no more than 15 pieces per year. Price: US$46,000
| Brand | Qin Gan |
| Model | Pastorale II |
| Case Dimensions | 38.5mm (D) x 9.5mm (T) |
| Case Material | 18k white or rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Silver or champagne champlevé enamel |
| Strap | Leather with case-matching pin buckle |
| Movement | 1810, Longines 30L base with in-house produced components, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 36 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | 15 pieces per year |
| Price | US$46,000 |