The King Seiko VANAC sports a Grand Seiko-derived movement and a funky, angular case
Borna Bošnjak- Seiko launches the new flagship King Seiko model in the VANAC, with five colourways to choose from.
- The 41mm watch is inspired by the original Vanac series from the 1970s, though with a modern edge.
- The VANAC gets an 8L-series movement, which means GS roots, with three days of power reserve and a price of A$5,200.
Less than a year after reinvigorating the King Seiko family with the new mid-range KS1969, Seiko travels just a few years into the future to bring the next chapter of the revived KS story. The King Seiko VANAC collection reprises quirky, colourful models that originally released in 1972, with their stand-out features being two-tone dials of green and bronze, sat beneath faceted crystals. Though produced for only two short years by both Suwa and Daini, the original Vanac models were made in numerous iterations, and they’re not exactly reissued one-to-one here, rather inspiring the new VANAC with their unique case geometries.
You might’ve noticed that I’ve been capitalising the name of these new King Seikos, and that’s because the Japanese brand decided to make VANAC an acronym. They openly admitted in the presentation of these new models that they’re not sure where the original name comes from, though it now stands for Vibrant, Active, Novel, Alternative, Comfortable. Do with that info what you will, but such little quirks are exactly why Seiko has become a cult classic brand.
Onto the models themselves – five will be available at launch in July 2025, with two of the colourways being limited by number and distribution. The standard-production purple SLA083, blue SLA085 and champagne SLA087 are by no means tame, with that purple in particular serving as the hero model of this new collection. And it’s easy to see why – Seiko has given the new KS VANAC plenty of character, with bold, horizontally sectioned dials with blocky indices and hands. Add to it highlights of purple and gold, and you’ve got peak 1970s goodness on your hands. Curiously though, there’s no VANAC branding on the dial whatsoever, instead replaced by “AUTOMATIC 3 DAYS” text that I could honestly do without. The only VANAC hints are in the 12 o’clock index and the counterbalance of the seconds hand.
Something that’s certainly changed is their sizing. The originals measured in somewhere from the mid-30mm to around 38mm, while the new VANACs bloat all the way out to 41mm in diameter and 14.3mm in height. Seiko does mention that the new VANAC is positioned as more of a sporty daily, but those dimensions certainly do signal a modern shift. Having had a chance to try these on in the flesh, the diameter isn’t that much of a concern as there are basically no lugs, but the height is certainly noticeable, and I’d hazard a guess that the movement may have something to do with it – more on that shortly.
If you’re familiar with the 1970s Vanac, you might be wondering where the quirky, faceted crystals went. Like I mentioned before, Seiko is proudly announcing this as an evolution of the original, rather than a reissue, and that angularity is now represented in the facets of the case, while a box-domed sapphire towers over the bezelless sides.
The bracelet is also new, with intricately finished mid-links and wide-set H-links making for a really comfortable fit. Interestingly, they have quick-release spring bars, so we might see some integrated leather options down the line.
And last, but certainly not least, we have the 8L45 movement. This 35-jewel calibre is an upgrade from prior 8L-series models, now featuring a longer mainspring, and thus, a longer power reserve of 72 hours. To briefly touch on the aforementioned case thickness – the 8L45 is a chunky movement, measuring 6mm in height. In comparison, the 6L35 in the KS1969 is 3.7mm tall, and a basic ETA 2824 sits at 4.6mm.
As some of you may already be familiar though, the main drawcard of the 8L family is that they’re essentially Grand Seiko calibres with less decoration and wider margin of daily variance. For the 8L45, the GS equivalent is the 9S65 or 9S68 (the only difference there being the 9S68’s larger mainplate), though boasting a pretty decent +10/-5 second daily rate from the factory. The finishing is simple, but clearly done to a standard Seiko is proud of, given that this is the first King Seiko with a display caseback. That does mean no more golden medallion for us vintage nerds, but we do get a faint printed outline on the sapphire back.
King Seiko VANAC collection pricing and availability
The King Seiko VANAC collection comprises five models, three of which are regular-production variants. The SLA089 is limited to 700 pieces, and the SLA089 is a Seiko boutique exclusive. They’re expected to become available in July 2025. Price: US$3,300, A$5,200
| Brand | Seiko |
| Model | King Seiko VANAC |
| Reference | SLA083 SLA085 SLA087 SLA089 SLA091 |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 14.3mm (T) |
| Case material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Box sapphire front, sapphire caseback |
| Dial | Purple, blue, champagne, brown, silver |
| Bracelet and strap | Integrated H-link bracelet, folding clasp |
| Movement | 8L45, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | From July 2025 SLA083, SLA085, SLA087 are regular-production pieces SLA089 is limited to 700 pieces SLA091 is a Seiko boutique exclusive |
| Price | US$3,300 A$5,200 |