A year after launching Grand Seiko in 1960, Seiko decided to give its luxury sub-brand some interior competition with the creation of King Seiko. Despite reaching a moderate peak in 1965 with the creation of the KSK, King Seiko went away in 1975.
In 2022, Seiko revived the brand as a mid-tier offering in terms of both price and luxury (although it uses the same movements as the cheaper Seiko brand watches). And while most of the releases in that time have surrounded the KSK line, the latest King Seiko watch is actually a reissue of a different ‘70s-era watch, the VANAC.
Finally Something Besides the KSK
We love seeing brand revivals as much as the next enthusiast but King Seiko has yet to really hit its stride over the past few years. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve had some notable releases, such as the flower-inspired (and Grand Seiko-evoking) KSK dials from last year. But we’ve been clamoring for something a little less safe than the timepieces based on the flagship KSK reissues. With an aggressive ‘70s aesthetic, the VANAC might not be for everyone but it’s surely the type of risk the brand should be taking.
Don’t Forget About the VANAC
Debuting in 1972, the VANAC line plays with angles…a lot. Instead of the circular cases of the KSK, the VANAC sports an angular tonneau-style case with pinches on the top side where the bezel would be, as well as in the corners by the lugs. However, slight updates have found them appeal more to a 2025 audience, including the box sapphire crystal, which ditches the faceted mineral crystal of the original and adds AR treatment.
Available in five dial colors, the watches all share the same 41mm stainless steel case design and whopping 14.3mm thickness. Each watch is paired with a stainless steel link bracelet with a similar angular design of the case.
It’s All About the Colors
I also love the color choices for this reissue. The main variant on the cover of the promotional material is the twilight-inspired purple dial, which sports gold accents (SLA083). King Seiko then heads through the night with its midnight-inspired navy blue variant (SLA085) and then the sunrise-inspired silver option with gold accents (SLA087).
Along with this trio of references for the permanent collection are two special editions. There’s a limited-to-700 golden option (SLA089) — perhaps my favorite in the series — and also a boutique exclusive ice blue variant (SLA091) that ditches the evening aesthetics of the previous four for a straight-up daytime design. All five options feature the same embossed design in the inner dial circle, surrounded by a minute track with a shield-shaped hour marker for the 12 spot.
As stated earlier, the watches run on a basic — yet still impressive — Seiko movement: the Caliber 8L45 automatic, which is a 4Hz caliber with 72 hours of power reserve. However, for the first time during this King Seiko revival period, the movement is visible through an exhibition caseback.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 41mm
Case Thickness: 14.3mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 100m
Movement: Seiko Caliber 8L45 automatic
Band: Stainless steel bracelet
Limited Edition?: No and yes (SLA089 is limited to 700; SLA091 is boutique exclusive)
Pricing & Availability
Three of the VANAC will be available in July as part of King Seiko’s permanent range, however the SLA089 will be limited to 700 while the SLA091 will be a boutique exclusive. Luckily, regardless of the variant, the watches will be priced at $3,300 each.
Recap
King Seiko VANAC
King Seiko revives the angular VANAC model from 1972, as the first notable non-KSK reissue since the brand’s comeback in 2022.
