Here’s one that came totally out of left field – a new King Seiko VANAC, but in titanium. Seiko is no stranger to this material, but almost exclusively reserves it for its sports watches, with only the higher-end sister brand Grand Seiko making wide use of its lightweight properties across the board. That’s an important distinction, not only because there is now a non-Astron or Prospex Seiko in titanium, but also because the King Seiko VANAC is a lot more like GS than you might think, and here’s why.
The VANAC is one of Seiko’s many (and I mean many) sub-brands of the 1970s, launched in ’72 as a more playful, but also more luxurious model line within the King Seiko collection. So, a sub-brand within a sub-brand. Modern Seiko is a bit more clear about its delineations, though there’s still some room for confusion. Putting all uncertainty to bed, King Seiko currently reigns as the brand’s top dog, and the VANAC is the top dog among all King Seiko, thanks to the fact it’s powered by a Grand Seiko-derived movement, minus some decoration and accuracy tolerances. In some ways, that makes the new King Seiko VANAC Titanium even more of a high-end proposition given the respect the material still commands in watch circles, simultaneously becoming the sportiest, too.
What is it?
At 41mm in diameter and 45.1mm lug-to-lug, it’s a classically wearable Seiko, though the thickness of 14.3mm is significant, despite the watch having 10 bar of water-resistance. The facets seemingly didn’t pose any more of a challenge than their stainless steel counterparts, with no pulling back on the brushing and mirror-polishing of any surface.
You have a choice of three dials; one mimicking the warm grey hues of titanium, another toning down the purple we saw when the VANAC launched first, and the third going for a classic all-black look. There are subtle changes to the dial furniture – the idea is still very much the same – but the markers are now larger all-round, and given more depth thanks to being mounted on a raised ring.
Any sacrifices that you have to make with the case dimensions are because of what you’ll find in the back – the in-house, automatic calibre 8L45. The 8L line is a well-established one in the Seiko catalogue, known for the fact that it’s essentially a less-decorated variant of the Grand Seiko 9S mechanical line. That means a 72-hour power-reserve and accuracy of +10/-5 seconds per day, with anti-magnetic resistance up to 4,800 A/m (equating to about 60 Gauss).
First impressions
The first thing that struck me when seeing these was the dial, and more specifically, the grey variant. I have to admit, I’m a little in love. The execution is great, and in keeping with vintage VANAC spirit, and while the subtle changes to the index size may seem inconsequential, I think they’re an evolution in the right direction. The bolder markers pair well with the brawny case, but I can’t help rue the fact that Seiko still chooses to print so many of its dials with “AUTOMATIC 3 DAYS”. Just imagine these with the old-school KS logo, and perhaps even a faceted crystal? Come on Seiko, I know you want to.
The subtle shift towards a sportier appeal makes sense given the dimensions, which would be totally fine were it not for the case thickness – 14.3mm is thicker than a current-gen Planet Ocean, for reference. The titanium construction will undoubtedly help with perceived heft, and these do wear much better than on-paper specs suggest, but there’s only so much slimming one can do when the calibre itself is around 6mm thick.
Nevertheless, I’m a firm believer in the fact that Seiko should use any and all opportunity to fit more GS-derived calibres into its watches, and King Seiko is the model line that should be happening in. Just like the 8L-powered Prospex counterparts the new VANAC Titanium launches alongside, it suggests that the Seiko Corp is increasingly more comfortable with this, and as a result, elevating non-GS watches to a new level. The VANAC Titanium is an expensive watch at A$6,000 (unfortunately some US$500 more than its US RRP equivalent), which means a whole lot of new competition. Though I wouldn’t read too much into it, Seiko is also introducing new reference nomenclature with the two new collections – these are now HXF references – making me wonder whether this signals a new direction for top-end Seiko, as we’re seeing a continuously upward trend for RRPs across the Seiko Corp.
King Seiko VANAC Titanium HKF001, HKF002, and HKF003 pricing and full specifications
The new King Seiko VANAC Titanium models will be available starting July 2026. Price: US$3,850, A$6,000
