BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Dedicated to Tokyo, a vast city where King Seiko was born, Seiko is once again digging into its archives, this time bringing back the bold styling of the 1970s with its latest King Seiko releases. While these new models pull from the flashy, angular aesthetic of the original Vanac line, they aren’t exact replicas.
The VANAC, released in 1972
Instead, Seiko calls them a continuation of the King Seiko story, which means some key design elements like the faceted crystal didn’t make the cut.
Housed in stainless steel cases measuring 41mm diameter x 14.3mm, these watches retain the sharp, geometric case lines that made vintage King Seiko models stand out. The dials are where things get really interesting, with five variations inspired by the Tokyo skyline: Tokyo Twilight (purple/blue and gold), Tokyo Midnight (black), Tokyo Sunrise (white gold), Tokyo Horizon (golden brown, limited to 700 pieces), and Tokyo Brilliant Sunlight (pale blue with silver, boutique exclusive).
Each dial features a retro gadroon horizontal pattern at the center, surrounded by a radial hour scale with wedge-shaped indexes.
The mechanical workings are handled by the Seiko Calibre 8L45 which shares a base architecture with the Grand Seiko 9S65, an automatic, 35 jewels movement with a 72h power reserve. It’s not high end Grand Seiko territory, but it’s a solid upgrade from previous King Seiko reissues. Seiko opted for an exhibition caseback, an interesting choice given the movement’s relatively straightforward finishing.
The watch is completed with a stainless steel bracelet that continues the angular theme of the case. Priced at EUR 3,400/GBP 2,900, availability starts in July.
