King Seiko
Creators Transcending Time
What makes something timeless?
How do we honor history while creating something new?
In search of that answer,
Mr. Ryohei Suzuki is joined by individuals who resonate with King Seiko’s brand philosophy, as well as those who inherit traditional techniques and continue to evolve them.
In the first installment,
King Seiko designer Takuya Matsumoto appears,
joining Mr. Suzuki to discuss the brand’s unique appeal.
Ryohei Suzuki and King Seiko
Matsumoto: What kind of King Seiko do you usually wear?
Ryohei Suzuki:
I actually brought mine with me today. These are my personal watches.
This is the first King Seiko (left), and this one is another King Seiko from the 1960s (right).
Matsumoto: May I take a look? It’s in incredible condition.
Ryohei Suzuki: I really treasure them. When I was visiting vintage watch shops and looking at different pieces, I eventually thought, “As a Japanese person, I want a Japan-made watch.” And for me, that was King Seiko. There’s a certain charm to the design, and it feels a little daring, too. It’s not just trying to be aggressively classic. There’s a sense of playfulness to it, and I think that’s what I’ve always liked about it.
The journey to becoming a designer
Ryohei Suzuki: When did you first become interested in watch design?
Matsumoto: I’ve loved crafting things ever since I was a child, so I was always very interested in fields like fashion and architecture. I think wristwatches share similarities with those worlds as well.
Ryohei Suzuki: Absolutely. Architecture is also three-dimensional and made for people to use. Design matters, but so does function. It has to be practical, while also exploring how far you can push the design.
Matsumoto: The scale is completely different, of course — one is a tiny object and the other is a massive space — but I do feel there are common elements. In fact, there are times when looking at architecture inspires ideas for watch design.
The original VANAC
Matsumoto: We’ve prepared an original VANAC model that was released in the 1970s.
Ryohei Suzuki: So, this evolved into this. Wow, this is really bold. Even for the 1970s, this is bold.
Matsumoto: I think the designers incorporated the culture of the time — music, fashion, and the free-spirited, individualistic styles led by young people — into the watch design, which resulted in models like this.
Ryohei Suzuki: The cut glass is especially unique, isn’t it?
Matsumoto: I think it beautifully expresses the glamour and brilliance that are unique to the VANAC.
Heritage and evolution
Ryohei Suzuki: When you decided to reboot the VANAC for the modern day, what kind of meaning or concept did you want it to convey?
Matsumoto: Looking back on the project now, I think the key themes were heritage and evolution. The VANAC was a model with shapes and characteristics that broke away from the conventional theories of watch design at the time, so I felt that simply reproducing the old models wouldn’t truly carry on the spirit of our predecessors.
What we wanted to do was extract several design elements that truly define the VANAC from among the many variations over the years and then infuse those elements into a completely new model.
Ryohei Suzuki: It actually feels similar to when we adapt manga into live-action films. You can’t recreate it exactly as it is, so you extract the essence, blend it with your own interpretation, and shape it into a new character.
When you compare them like this, they’re completely different, and yet the legacy is clearly there.
Inside the VANAC design concept
Matsumoto: King Seiko was actually born in 1961 at a factory called Daini Seikosha, located in Kameido, Tokyo, at the time. As a brand, we really wanted to cherish the idea that it was born and raised in Tokyo, so we designed this watch around the concept of “Tokyo Horizon.”
I think modern Tokyo is one of the most diverse cities in the world, where all kinds of people and cultures mix to create something unique. I wanted to create a watch inspired by the image of standing at the center of such a massive city and gazing far beyond the horizon. That became the key concept behind the VANAC: “Tokyo Horizon.”
The pursuit of evolution
Ryohei Suzuki: I believe that craftsmanship is fundamentally very similar across all fields. In my work as well, there were many brilliant predecessors before us. Through countless trials and errors, certain things endured, and now it’s our turn to carry them forward with everything we have. I think the first step is understanding the passion and dedication those who came before us had when they created these things in their time.
Matsumoto: It’s also fascinating to imagine how the baton has been passed down over the years.
Ryohei Suzuki: That feeling of excitement, but also nervousness and uncertainty that comes with taking on a challenge — I think that’s ultimately what leads to evolution.
VANAC titanium model
Matsumoto: What we have prepared here is our latest model — the titanium VANAC.
Ryohei Suzuki: It has a very refined, mature impression, even in the color palette. This is actually the one I was most looking forward to seeing today.
Oh — it’s light! It really feels completely different.
Matsumoto: The design theme was inspired by the image of a driver speeding down a highway toward the horizon stretching across Tokyo.
On the base of the dial, you’ll notice a subtle striped pattern.
It’s meant to evoke the horizon line from our “Tokyo Horizon” concept.
And on the titanium model, the design radiates outward along both sides of the watch.
It’s meant to represent the streaks of light flowing along the highway from the driver’s perspective.
Ryohei Suzuki: You really went all in on the details. And even with titanium, you can still see the movement through the case back.
Matsumoto: As you mentioned, the movement is visible through the back. The movement includes a component called an oscillating weight, which winds the mainspring.
There are also metal plates called the bridges, and by applying a wave-pattern finish to those components, we paid close attention to creating a beautiful level of detail and craftsmanship throughout the watch.
Ryohei Suzuki: The amount of work put into it is incredible.
Matsumoto: This model is equipped with a movement known as the 8L45.
By upgrading the mainspring, we were able to achieve approximately 72 hours of power reserve and highly stable accuracy.
Ryohei Suzuki: So, this is the highest-end movement within the King Seiko lineup?
Matsumoto: Yes. It uses one of the finest movements available within Seiko.
Ryohei Suzuki: What was the intention behind choosing titanium?
Matsumoto: The original VANAC from the 1970s was designed with a spirit of exploring new possibilities in watch design. For the modern VANAC as well, we wanted to take on something new.
In fact, making a watch out of titanium is technically very difficult.
Ryohei Suzuki: I’ve heard titanium is difficult to work with.
Matsumoto: Exactly. So, this time, we intentionally embraced that challenge. Creating a mirror-polished finish in titanium was one of the more ambitious aspects of the project.
Ryohei Suzuki: So, if you’re going to polish it, you really have to polish it properly.
Matsumoto: Of course, we wanted to pay respect to the original VANAC, but at the same time, it was very important for this project to create a watch that feels right for modern Tokyo and fits naturally into the way we live today.
Ryohei Suzuki: It’s the kind of watch you can wear without worrying about the occasion, and it works with any style of clothing. I think that’s especially important when traveling.
When you travel, you can’t bring an endless wardrobe or multiple watches with you.
This one is light, goes with everything, has solid water resistance, and feels incredibly easy to wear in everyday life.
Manufactured at the Seiko Studio
Matsumoto: Seiko has a manufacturing facility in Iwate Prefecture. Were you aware of this?
Ryohei Suzuki: Of course — Shizukuishi. I haven’t visited yet, but whenever I read articles about it, I always wonder what it’s like there.
Matsumoto: It’s located in an area surrounded by lush greenery.
It’s truly a special place for us, where precise watchmaking and rich natural surroundings coexist beautifully.
Ryohei Suzuki: I’d love to see it someday. I’d also love to meet the craftsmen there.
What makes something timeless?
Ryohei Suzuki: Listening to your story today, Mr. Matsumoto, I realized that things that are appreciated for generations are created by learning from the past, then having the courage to boldly transform and evolve them.
Perhaps the real answer lies in having the resolve to step into that uncertainty.
