Sunday Morning Showdown: King Seiko Vanac Vs. Tudor Monarch
It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time to fire up the espresso machine and enjoy another heated watch battle. In this week’s showdown, Mike picked the new Tudor Monarch, while Jorg chose the King Seiko Vanac. The former was Tudor’s big release at Watches and Wonders 2026, and people seem to either love or hate it. Jorg’s pick is one that stands out immediately, but with its retro ’70s style, it draws strong opinions among enthusiasts. Which of the two will get more love in this installment of Sunday Morning Showdown?
One glance at the Tudor Monarch might lead you to think its looks are somewhat out of the ordinary compared to the rest of the brand’s current lineup. However, as Lex explained, the watch celebrates 100 years of Tudor with a case shape that visually links back to the first Oyster case from 1926. So there is definitely a story there that explains the design. With a new caliber and a €5,400 price tag, the Monarch is a higher-end offering from Tudor. It goes up against the current King Seiko Vanac, which Seiko reintroduced last year. Modeled after the original Vanac models from the 1970s, it presents a retro design that shares angular lines with the Monarch. But despite the strong shapes, the overall feel is much different. On top of that, the Vanac has a much friendlier €3,400 price. Let’s find out if that is a deciding factor in this week’s matchup.
Last week, on Sunday Morning Showdown…
Before we hand it over to Jorg and Mike, let’s first look at last week’s battle. Thomas’s Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 went up against Daan’s Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in titanium, and to our surprise, the Grand Seiko won with 53% of the votes, leaving the Rolex with 47%. The comments showed a slightly different dynamic, with the Yacht-Master seeming like a slight favorite. But the silent majority spoke, and the Ushio 300 took the victory. It shows that Grand Seiko did the right thing by introducing a smaller series of divers. Let’s find out whether Grand Seiko’s sister brand can also defeat Rolex’s sister brand this week.
Jorg: King Seiko Vanac
When the first modern stainless steel King Seiko Vanac models debuted early last year, I felt excited and somewhat puzzled at the same time. I’m a fan of the vintage Vanac line. I even wrote about one of these classics for our Buying Guide series. I picked the weirdly wonderful King Seiko Vanac 5626-7140. With its angular case, colorful dial options, and faceted crystal, it is a watch that you will remember. I was curious to find out whether Seiko would ever have the courage to unveil something equally extravagant again. As we’ve seen, though, the current Vanac drew inspiration from ’70s designs rather than following any one model specifically.
It’s easy to understand that Seiko wasn’t going to go full extravagance mode with these watches, but I simply didn’t expect this Vanac design. After trying out the first two models, however, I got a better feel for what Seiko was going for with them. The inspiration the designers drew from ’70s watches is evident in the case design.
The angles and facets are conceptually consistent with the original Vanac models. Add the brilliant bracelet, and you end up with a vintage-inspired design that also feels contemporary in its feel and finish. If one thing left an immediate impression on me, it was how expertly manufactured these watches feel. They are hefty, and the finishing is truly impressive. Add the high-end Seiko 8L45 caliber, and you get a really well-made watch that, considering its price tag, easily beats the Tudor Monarch.
Initial reservations faded quickly…
Two things I had to get used to were the case dimensions and the retro dials. At first, I didn’t understand why the King Seiko designers would settle for a 41 × 14.3mm case. It seemed too big and bulky for a vintage-inspired series of watches. But I also knew that the dimensions wouldn’t be too daunting for me, as I am a big guy and can pull off larger watches without any problems.
Steel King Seiko Vanac SLA083 (left) next to the titanium HKF001
The dials were a different story. They have a very distinct ’70s feel that seems stuck in the past. But I quickly found that the gold-tone details on the dials of some models lean heavily on that retro feel, whereas the silver-tone ones on others feel much more contemporary. The latter versions are the models I like, and with the second series of titanium models that Lex reviewed, that feeling grew even stronger, especially once I put the watches on my wrist.
On the wrist, the King Seiko Vanac wins it for me
Everything I had questioned seemed to disappear instantly, and the positives took over. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place once I put the Vanac on my wrist. Despite the case dimensions, the watches wear super comfortably. On top of that, the heft gives off a quality feel you don’t often get at this price point. And those dials? They quickly started growing on me.
The best evidence came in the form of the 145th-anniversary Vanac HKF004 that I reviewed recently. I usually love darker dials, and a combination of white and blue is generally far from my favorite. But when I put that watch on my wrist, I was immediately smitten. I was reminded of the great comfort and quality, and the silvery-white dial with its dark blue chapter ring had me coming back again and again. It proved that the King Seiko Vanac series has a magic to it that I didn’t expect.
I didn’t feel that same magic when I tried the Tudor Monarch. While it is the better proportioned watch with a beautiful dark champagne dial and a superior caliber, it left me somewhat confused. The dial design didn’t seem to make sense.
The retro California dial with the weird handset visually clashes with a modern case and bracelet. On top of that, I didn’t feel the same heftiness that makes the King Seiko so impressive. All in all, I just felt a lot less surprised and excited after trying the Monarch. Add the €2,000 price difference, and I would gladly pick the King Seiko Vanac over the Tudor Monarch every time.
Mike: Tudor Monarch
While many felt that 2026 was a relatively quiet release year for Tudor at Watches and Wonders, the Monarch was somewhat of a sleeper. Its dressy looks, sub-seconds feature, and formal champagne dial made it a slow burner. However, I can tell you from experience that trying it on made a huge difference. Let’s spend a moment on the particulars.
Tudor is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and for the occasion, the brand released the Monarch. The watch has a 39 × 46mm stainless steel case with a very reasonable 11.9mm thickness. It’s a proper sports watch in dress clothing, though, with a full 100m depth rating and a screw-down crown.
An angular case
The reason we’ve decided to pit the Monarch against the Vanac is that both watches feature angled stainless steel cases. For the Tudor, the shape is inspired by a century-old Rolex Oyster case. The relationship might not be obvious upon first glance, but I think it looks great. Frankly, any time we get a new case from Rolex or Tudor, it’s worth taking notice. The polished bezel, domed sapphire crystal, and mix of chamfers work nicely with the California-esque dial.
A strong runner inside
While the King Seiko celebrates Seiko’s 145th anniversary with a decently accurate movement, the Monarch wins the battle with the Kenissi-manufactured automatic MT5662-2U. It also has a frequency of 28,800 vph and 65 hours of power reserve, which is within three hours of the Seiko 8L45. In this application, the movement also shows off some gold-hued highlights and brushed finishing. If it’s anything like the Kenissi caliber I own in my Black Bay 58, expect quartz-like accuracy.
The Monarch on the wrist
With a case nearly 20% thinner than the Vanac, the Monarch feels great on the wrist. Plus, the bracelet is the usual high-quality fare from Tudor. Here, it’s an H-link style but with smaller links. I love the fact that the brand went to these lengths to create something new and more fitting for the case design. This leads me to my only reservation. The bracelet uses the well-known T-fit clasp, which seems perfectly fine on a sports piece, but it’s a tad incongruous here. It’s comfortable, but I’d prefer a more Datejust-like mechanism. Perhaps if Tudor comes with a darker or sportier dial design, the clasp will seem more appropriate.
Time to choose
At €5,400, the Tudor Monarch is exactly €2,000 more than the King Seiko Vanac. That’s a significant price difference, but I think it’s in line with typical Tudor costs. Both of today’s contenders are fine choices, but in the end, you can only select one in our Sunday Morning Showdown. Cast your vote, and let us know why you chose the way you did in the comments section.
