The new King Seiko VANAC collection offers a retro-chic watch with a stunning array of dials.
That's paired with a seriously good movement inside, for the best of old and new.
Fashion is a funny old place. We're constantly looking backwards, desperate to reinvent history in new ways – it's called retro-chic, sweetie, look it up. That even extends to those designing the best watches out there.
Well, Seiko clearly got the message. The brand has just unveiled the beautiful King Seiko VANAC collection, and it is positively dripping in seventies cool.
Right from the off, you'll find angular case shapes and integrated-looking bracelets. That is bang on trend right now, with everything from the Christopher Ward The Twelve and the Tissot PRX to the Citizen Series 8 and the Patek Philippe Cubitus offering watches in a similar vein.
The new King Seiko pieces aren't just for looking backwards, though. Inside, the movement is one of the most accurate Seiko produces, offering +10/-5 seconds of accuracy per day. That also packs in a cool three-day power reserve, allowing you to leave it off the wrist for a few days without fear of it running out of juice.
They also enjoy some seriously good-looking dials. Each of the five models on offer fuses a central disc with horizontal ribbing. That's surrounded by a ring which houses the indices and date window.
There are five colour variants on offer, each inspired by the shifting hues of the Tokyo skyline throughout the day. Those are:
- Tokyo Twilight
- Tokyo Midnight
- Tokyo Sunrise
- Tokyo Horizon
- Tokyo Brilliant Sunlight
My pick of the bunch is the Tokyo Twilight model shown at the top of the page. It packs a gorgeous purple hue into its case, which pairs perfectly with the gold-toned appointments. You'll lose hours staring at that.
It's also ever-so-slightly reminiscent of the Seiko Cocktail Time Star Bar model which we covered last year. That just oozed with magenta-toned cool, and it's something we see in this model, too.
It's also worth noting that the Tokyo Horizon variant is a limited-edition model, with just 700 pieces being produced worldwide. Those looking to snag the Tokyo Brilliant Sunlight version will have to head to the Seiko boutique on New Bond Street, London, where the model is exclusively available.
Priced at £2,900 (approx. $3,750 / AU$6,000) these certainly aren't the cheapest watches you'll find. Still, they are stunningly put together, and will almost certainly draw some attention.
