Released last year, the King Seiko Vanac came as a surprise from the Japanese manufacturer. Contrary to most previous King Seiko watches, inspired by the early days of the sub-brand, the Vanac was based on an edgy King Seiko reference from the 1970s and powered by a Grand Seiko-derived, high-end automatic movement. This sharp and highly distinctive collection has since grown; in addition to the inaugural quintet, we’ve seen editions on leather straps and titanium models. Now, Seiko releases the HKF005, a King Seiko Vanac with a glitter-like dial inspired by the view of Tokyo’s city lights.
Even though a new reference (not limited) in the collection, this Vanac HKF005 is nothing more than a new dial, as it shares all other elements with previous steel editions. As such, its case retains the same proportions, measuring 41mm in diameter and 14.3mm in thickness. A positive effect of the integrated-style design is the tightness of the case, being only 45.1mm from one lug to another. As with all Vanac models, the case is sharply defined, with strong lateral polished shoulders, bold facets and brushed accents. The crown is slightly recessed but sizeable, and the watch is free of a bezel, instead relying on a high box-shaped sapphire crystal to protect the dial. Water-resistant is rated at 100m.
What’s new is the dial, which uses a dark “night sky” colour – a pretty difficult tone to define and capture, somewhere between black and extremely dark grey/blue. Complementing this sombre dial are dark-coated hands, which are thankfully largely filled with Lumibrite. The dial is special as it is adorned with glitter-like particles – no, it’s not aventurine – that evoke the “countless city lights shimmering across Tokyo at night,” and give a sparkling effect. Yet, the dial remains faithful to the treatment used in previous editions, with a V-shaped marker at noon and horizontal grooves.
Inside the Vanac HKF005 is Seiko’s calibre 8L45 automatic movement, the same movement powering the King Seiko Vanac watches released last year. The movement is based on the Grand Seiko 9S65 and runs at 28,800 vibrations/hour. With a 72-hour power reserve, it is rated to an accuracy of +10 to -5 seconds per day. The movement can be seen through the sapphire caseback, with striped finishing visible across the rotor, bridges, and plates.
The watch comes on a faceted, integrated steel bracelet that follows the profile of the case down to the folding clasp, which is nicely concealed and finishes what’s a bold, luxurious design.
Available as of October 1st, 2026, the King Seiko Vanac HKF005 isn’t limited and will be priced at EUR 3,400. For more details, please visit www.seikowatches.com.
https://monochrome-watches.com/review-new-hkf005-a-king-seiko-vanac-with-a-dial-inspired-by-tokyo-by-night-price/