News · Seiko

King Seiko gives the VANAC a Tokyo-night dial

The black HKF005 adds a quieter dial to Seiko's angular 8L45-powered VANAC range.

Hen & Mills Editorial · 3 min read · 12 September 2026

• The HKF005 pairs the VANAC's angular 41mm steel case with a black, light-flecked dial.
• Automatic calibre 8L45 runs at 4Hz and carries a 72-hour power reserve.
• Australian pricing is A$5,200, with release scheduled for October 2026.

Seiko added the King Seiko VANAC HKF005 to its Australian range on 9 September 2026. The new reference keeps the angular steel case and automatic movement used by the present VANAC family, then adds a black dial flecked by tiny points of light. Australian pricing is A$5,200, with release scheduled for October.

Tokyo after the sun has gone

VANAC returned as a full King Seiko line in 2025, carrying a shape quite different from the straight-lug designs normally associated with the revived name. The 41mm case is broad at the dial and narrows into an integrated-looking steel bracelet. Large flat planes meet sharp polished edges, a treatment that gives the case definition without applying extra decoration.

HKF005 is the darkest version of that geometry. Seiko describes its dial as a night view of Tokyo, using glitter-like particles to suggest lights across the city. The central field is black, the hands and index ring are darkened, and polished or luminous surfaces provide the contrast. Horizontal lines run behind the minute track, while the faceted hour markers expand towards the outer edge. A framed date sits at three.

This is more than a black colour swap because the VANAC case reflects whatever surrounds it. On the earlier purple, navy and silver dials, that produces a deliberately vivid watch. HKF005 lowers the colour contrast and lets the case planes, raised chapter ring and broad markers carry the design. It will still catch light readily, but the first impression is architectural rather than chromatic.

The case is compact across the wrist

The numbers are 41mm in diameter, 14.3mm thick and 45.1mm from lug to lug. That last measurement is the useful one. The case is substantial in height and width, yet its relatively short span limits how far it reaches across the wrist. The bracelet begins inside the case shoulders and uses narrow horizontal links, allowing it to articulate soon after the case.

Seiko fits a box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on its inner surface. The screw-down crown contributes to 10-bar water resistance, and magnetic resistance is rated to 4,800 A/m. LumiBrite appears on the hands and indexes. The bracelet has a deployment clasp with push-button release, and the spring bars use a quick-release system.

The finishing has to do considerable work on a nearly monochrome watch. Hairline brushing follows the long axes of the case and bracelet, while polished bevels break up their outlines. The dark index ring recedes around the dial, making the bright marker faces appear deeper. The boxed crystal then adds visible height at the perimeter. It is a layered construction even before the glitter particles become apparent.

Seiko developed the bracelet specifically for this VANAC generation. Its individual links combine mirror-polished and hairline-finished surfaces, extending the case's alternating finish along the wrist. The sapphire display back is another point of distinction: Seiko says this family introduced the first see-through back used on a King Seiko since the collection returned in 2022. The King Seiko shield is expressed on that rear crystal.

Calibre 8L45 sets the pace

Inside is Seiko's automatic calibre 8L45, visible through the screw-down display back. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4Hz, and delivers about 72 hours of power reserve. The published daily rate is plus 10 to minus five seconds. There are 35 jewels, and the movement supports manual winding, hacking seconds and a date display.

The 8L45 is important to the current VANAC identity. Its three-day reserve lets the dial carry the words “Automatic 3 Days”, while the balance runs at a published frequency of 4Hz. At 14.3mm, this remains a substantial case rather than a thin dress-watch profile.

The display back also changes the character of a design that otherwise leans heavily on 1970s form. It shows the striped rotor, bridges and balance beneath a sapphire window, making the modern movement visible without interrupting the black dial. A screw-down back secures the assembly, while the signed crown carries the faceted treatment onto the case's smallest external control.

Australian release in October

Seiko Australia lists the HKF005J1 at A$5,200, with release scheduled for October 2026. The product page does not describe it as a numbered limited edition.

The black dial gives the range a quieter entry without turning VANAC into a conventional King Seiko. Its flared case, 17mm bracelet connection and high, boxed crystal remain assertive. What changes is where the eye lands. The earlier colours lead with the dial; HKF005 leads with the case and saves its Tokyo-night detail for a closer look.