New stainless-steel Seiko HKF005 launches with a Tokyo night-inspired dial, 8L45 automatic

Everything on the King Seiko Vanac HKF005 comes over from the steel models already in the collection except the dial. Seiko has scattered glitter-like particles across a dark base to stand in for Tokyo's lights seen from above, then darkened the hands and index ring so the flecks do the work. The horizontal grooves used on the other steel Vanacs are still there, just harder to pick out.

Also, this is not the first black-dial Vanac; the titanium HKF003 arrived in July. It is the first in stainless-steel, and it is not a limited-edition; however, for some reason, Seiko's EU boutique has the material listed as titanium.

The case is the familiar Vanac shape at 41 mm across, 14.3 mm thick and 45.1 mm lug to lug, under a box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. A screw-down crown and see-through screw case back bring water resistance to 10 bar, with magnetic resistance rated at 4,800 A/m. The integrated bracelet closes on a deployment clasp with push-button release and uses quick-release spring bars, though 17 mm lug spacing and the integrated design means there's fewer options for aftermarket straps.

Caliber 8L45 beats at 28,800 vph with 35 jewels, a 72-hour reserve and a rated +10 to -5 seconds a day. The same movement drives the titanium Vanacs and the Marinemaster Professional.

Seiko has published a 3,400-euro European price and no US figure. Its US site lists the existing steel Vanac references at $3,300 and the titanium trio at $3,850. Strip 19% German VAT from 3,400 euros and it converts to roughly $3,320 at 1.1628 to the dollar. However, the HKF005 has a price tag of 396,000 JPY, which loosely converts to $2,578. Release is in October, with European outlets citing 1 October as the final date.