Introducing: The King Seiko Vanac SLA087 And SLA083
The Vanac name may not ring a bell for anyone but the most hardcore King Seiko enthusiasts, but that did not stop Seiko from reissuing the watch in a new guise. Today, we see the introduction of the King Seiko Vanac SLA087 in purple/gold and the SLA083 in white/gold. As you can see from the pictures, we got to try these two new models. Seiko is also releasing dials in blue, brown/gold (a limited edition of 700 pieces), and light blue. If you like 1970s design and seriously nice finishing, read on!
King Seiko Vanac
The King Seiko Vanac line dates back to the 1970s — more precisely, between 1972 and 1974. Interestingly, nobody seems to know where the name comes from or what it means. Seiko often catches flack for its naming idiosyncrasies, and this is no exception.
Image: Vintageseiko.nl
The Vanac models were produced by both the Daini Seikosha and Suwa Seikosha factories. They came in different versions but shared a few key characteristics. For starters, they all featured a faceted crystal atop a radically angular 36–38mm case. The watches also came with equally radical solid-link bracelets of the highest quality King Seiko could offer.
Some versions featured gold bezels, and all came with colorful dials and fat, ’70s-style applied indexes. These King Seiko Vanac models sat just under Grand Seiko in the catalog and carried prices to match that elevated position.
The new King Seiko Vanac
So, on to today’s release. The new King Seiko Vanac models pay clear homage to their ancestors from the early 1970s. The angular case returns, as does the matching integrated bracelet. The dials, too, are unmistakably “of the time,” we could say.
There is one glaring omission, though, and it hurts a bit. The sapphire crystal has a clean-looking box shape with a concave edge, but it pales in comparison to the faceted originals. I can imagine how complicated and expensive it would have been to include this, but it’s still disappointing to see that Seiko omitted the most characteristic feature.
The dials somewhat echo the original style but offer a horizontal teak-deck pattern and printed indexes rather than applied ones. On top sits a ring that reminds me of a roulette wheel, with its sides neatly polished. Especially with the gold details, it exudes the 1970s. A framed date window sits at 3 o’clock. Seiko also added a very large “V” to the balance of the seconds hand, which I cannot trace to vintage originals. It gives the handset a very pronounced look. When the V stands upside down, though, I see a pair of legs in straight-cut jeans.
King Seiko Vanac specifications
Seiko opted to modernize the proportions of the new King Seiko Vanac. All these models share a 41mm diameter, a 45mm length, and a 14.4mm thickness, with the last measurement giving the Vanac quite an assertive stance.
Inside ticks the Seiko caliber 8L35, a standard for higher-end watches in the lineup, such as the Marinemaster. It runs at a pace of 28,800vph and provides a three-day (or 72-hour) autonomy in this version. Basically, the 8L35 is an undecorated version of Grand Seiko’s 9S55 movement. In the new King Seiko Vanac, it should run within +10/-5 seconds per day.
The integrated bracelet features an intricate combination of polished and brushed surfaces. Its clasp is of the dual-deployant (butterfly) variety and lacks any sort of micro-adjustment mechanism. However, the short links should still enable a perfect fit. Just don’t eat too much salt or move between climates.
Initial impressions
I am a big fan of King Seiko and its modern iterations. Today’s release, however, feels disappointing to me. I would have much rather seen slightly modernized dials and a revival of the characteristic faceted crystals. Rado can still make them for watches costing almost €1,000 less than these King Seikos. To omit them seems lazy…for lack of a better word.
At the same time, while the dials are different from many of the originals, they still look a bit dated. The big V is a stylistic mismatch, and the Vanac back catalog offers far nicer dial textures. Lastly, the boosted size seems off-trend as well. I am not sure why Seiko didn’t stick with a 38mm size, for instance. That said, these watches do feel relatively compact, so they present as a small 41mm. The “King Seiko Automatic 3 Days” text, however, seems a bit unrefined and oversized.
As always with modern King Seiko, the watches offer fantastic surface finishing, coming as close as possible to Grand Seiko cases at this price. Don’t get me wrong; there is still a substantial gap between the two, but these are very competitive within the segment when it comes to finishing. The retail price for all versions comes to €3,400. Frankly, I would pick other models from the King Seiko line for that money. Still, the look is certainly distinctive and daring, which is always commendable.
What do you think of the new King Seiko Vanac models? Let us know in the comments below!
