King Seiko Fan Meeting
On December 6, 2025, we held the first-ever King Seiko Fan Meeting. The event featured Ryohei Suzuki, King Seiko’s Global Ambassador; Masayuki Hirota, Editor-in-Chief of Chronos Japan; and Yu Sekiguchi, Editor-in-Chief of Hodinkee Japan. Together with King Seiko designer Takuya Matsumoto, they engaged in an insightful panel discussion. On this page, we share highlights from the discussion underlining King Seiko's enduring appeal.
“The timeless appeal of King Seiko”
Matsumoto:
King Seiko was born in the 1960s and became a driving force in the evolution of domestically produced mechanical wristwatches in Japan.
The first King Seiko was created in 1961 at our former factory, known as the Daini Seikosha, located in Kameido, Tokyo. It was highly acclaimed for its superior quality and distinctive design. Although King Seiko production was discontinued in the 1970s, the collection was revived in 2022 and continues to thrive today.
The model known as the KSK, essentially the second generation of King Seiko, best embodies the brand’s philosophy, “The Newest Classic.” It represents the essence of what King Seiko stands for.
With its bold, dignified proportions, this timepiece still feels remarkably fresh today, with no sense of being dated. That timeless appeal is what makes King Seiko a distinctive watch cherished across generations.
Hirota (Editor-in-Chief):
In the 1960s, Seiko had two major collections: King Seiko and Grand Seiko. While Grand Seiko was characterized by a calm and refined aesthetic, King Seiko was, from the very beginning, more free-spirited and experimental.
Although it was positioned in the high-end price range even at the time, King Seiko clearly embodied Seiko’s willingness to explore a wide range of ideas. This pioneering spirit is precisely what makes the collection so compelling.
For example, the KSK featured lugs whose four corners were cut at an angle - an extremely forward-looking design choice for the 1960s.
King Seiko encapsulates the fascination of watches from the 1960s and 1970s, along with the remarkable diversity of design from that era. At the same time, I believe that the brand’s greatest appeal lies in the fact that its fundamentals as a watch are firmly and reliably established.
Sekiguchi (Editor-in-Chief):
King Seiko was established in 1961, a time when Japan was entering a period of rapid economic growth. Because King Seiko was made in Tokyo, I imagine the brand was witnessing the increase in businesspeople firsthand, and that practicality was therefore a key value from the beginning.
The pricing was set within a range of roughly 12,000 to 15,000 yen - equivalent to the starting salary of a university graduate at the time - and there was a strong commitment to creating watches within that framework.
Even today, King Seiko remains accessible in terms of price, yet the watches are almost “over-engineered,” to the point that one might wonder if they are produced at a loss.
Remaining true to the original philosophy while sustaining this standard within such a price range is truly admirable, and I see it as one of King Seiko’s defining strengths.
Ryohei Suzuki:
I also feel that the boldness of the designs and the wide range of variations, as Mr. Hirota mentioned, are key aspects of King Seiko’s appeal.
“King Seiko is not afraid of failure.” That phrase really resonates with me, and I see it as closely connected to the spirit of the VANAC. Even if there is a risk of failure, the brand keeps advancing, striving to deliver the highest possible quality while remaining within an accessible price range.
That mindset strongly resonates with the work I do myself, and perhaps that is why I am drawn to King Seiko.
“The sculptural beauty and
appeal of the three series”
Ryohei Suzuki:
The watch I wear most often in my private life is the KS1969.
Once I tried it on, it felt really great. It’s thin and fits the wrist beautifully, and the bracelet has a light, fluid feel that closely recreates the character of a vintage bracelet while being updated in a modern way.
That said, I’m personally a fan of dauphine hands. I really like the shape of the hands on the KSK, so at first I thought I would prefer dauphine hands on this model as well. But when I actually put on the KSK and compared them, I realized, “No, this is different.”
With the KS1969 dial, these hands are absolutely the right choice. That made me feel a deep respect for the designers.
The KSK fits in anywhere, it has my favorite hand shape, and it truly embodies the character of King Seiko, so I think many people will enjoy picking it up and wearing it.
I had always thought of King Seiko as a brand known for classic designs, so seeing the release of the VANAC came as a surprise.
However, when I looked at the original VANAC models from the 1970s, their appearance was quite different. Even so, the new model successfully reinterprets the essence of the original through modern materials and technology.
You can see the movement through the case back, the watch is water resistant, and it’s equipped with a high-quality movement. I think the adventurous spirit behind releasing such a bold design, done with complete seriousness, is truly impressive.
It also feels like a declaration of how King Seiko intends to present itself going forward.
Matsumoto： I only realized today that Mr. Suzuki is a real enthusiast when it comes to watch hands. In fact, designing the hands is one of the most delicate parts of creating a watch. Even a slight change in their length or balance can completely alter the overall impression. They’re really like the “face” of the watch. To your point, deciding which shape of hands best matches a particular design is something we agonize over during the design process.
Hirota (Editor-in-Chief):
The KS1969 features large, gently curved surfaces that are extremely difficult to polish beautifully, yet Seiko excels at this– just as it did in the past, and continues to do today.
Wide, mirror-polished surfaces are prone to distortion, but Seiko finishes them flawlessly. Achieving such bold surfaces demands a high level of technical skill, which is precisely why King Seiko fits so well within this price range.
King Seiko had already reached a world-class standard in design from its earliest days. Those forms are now further refined using modern technology, resulting in an exceptionally high level of finish. While the design is classic, it has been enhanced with greater refinement, making it a watch that is easy to wear in everyday life – if anything, it feels fresh and contemporary.
Even today, manufacturers around the world closely observe Seiko’s case-finishing expertise, and there is no doubt that the KS1969 stands as one of its most iconic expressions.
Sekiguchi (Editor-in-Chief):
As Mr. Suzuki mentioned, wearing comfort – almost as if the watch is gently clinging to the wrist – is truly the essence of the KS1969’s appeal.
The bracelet is extremely thin, and achieving this level of thinness and balance despite its multi-row structure is genuinely astonishing.
The original 1969 model was equipped with a manual-winding movement, and thinness was one of its defining characteristics.
In the modern version, the watch uses an automatic movement, but by installing the Caliber 6L35 – the thinnest movement in Seiko’s current lineup – the proportions of the original model have been faithfully recreated.
Hirota (Editor-in-Chief):
To add to that, fine-link bracelets are structurally prone to looseness or rattling. However, through technological updates, each individual link now interlocks precisely, resulting in a stable and comfortable fit.
As a result, while the design remains classic, the construction has been thoroughly updated to meet the standards of a high-end timepiece. That contrast is what I find particularly appealing.
“In which life events or moments
would you like to wear them?”
Ryohei Suzuki:
For the VANAC, I see it as the watch to wear at decisive moments – when it really matters. When I want to express my individuality or feel like a slightly different version of myself, I think the VANAC is the right choice.
The KS1969 is thin and, as Mr. Hirota often says, it sits beautifully on the wrist, so I’d like to wear it when I want to relax.
The KSK can really be worn anytime, but I’d associate it more with active moments.
“What kind of travel destinations
would you like to wear the VANAC to?”
Ryohei Suzuki: I wore the VANAC when I traveled to Thailand, but the place that comes to mind now is Nara. Purple works beautifully with Horyu-ji Temple in Nara. When I visited the temple, I wore purple clothing, and it really lifted my mood. That’s why I’d love to visit Horyu-ji wearing this VANAC.
Hirota (Editor-in-Chief):
Reproducing the color purple is extremely difficult, which is why I feel it’s a color that truly reflects the strengths of a Japanese brand.
A purple dial is actually quite rare, isn’t it? Mr. Sekiguchi, do you know any brands that use purple?
Sekiguchi (Editor-in-Chief):No, you hardly ever see purple dials.
Hirota (Editor-in-Chief):
A watch that truly stands out while traveling is, in fact, very difficult to achieve. During travel - on trains or while moving from place to place - accurate timekeeping is essential, yet at the same time, you want to feel relaxed. That is why choosing a travel watch is surprisingly challenging.
A travel watch must first and foremost be a proper, reliable timepiece, while also serving as a bridge between the everyday and the extraordinary. I believe that balance is what truly matters. It may be close to what Mr. Suzuki described as a sense of “playfulness.”
Seen from that perspective, King Seiko actually pairs extremely well with travel.
Ryohei Suzuki:
And I also think the fact that it’s made in Japan is important. When you travel abroad from Japan, how it makes you feel really matters. It gives you a sense of wanting to carry yourself in a way that you can be proud of as a Japanese person.
Sekiguchi (Editor-in-Chief):
Because of my work, I often select several watches and take them overseas, wearing them while I work. When interacting with people abroad, wearing a Japanese watch becomes a way of representing who you are.
Ryohei Suzuki:
I believe a watch is something that spends time with you and shares your memories. I hope you’ll choose a King Seiko model you truly love, wear it in your everyday life as well as on your travels, and enjoy many wonderful moments together.
