Sport watches are about precision, performance and rugged intensity, and that is what Stefan Johansson Vaxjo watches are about, as well. In his brochure and materials explaining his new watch brand, Stefan Johansson simply states: “When 0.001 of a second makes all the difference in the world, ‘Right on Time’ takes on a whole new meaning.”
Johansson has experienced victory at the world’s most famous endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and has, over the course of three decades, raced in the world’s most legendary competitions. Recently he started his own watch company bearing his name. The Stefan Johansson brand captures the essence of racing time, of being on the edge when every fraction of a second counts, and also of constantly trying to beat your own personal best – and that means harmony and balance within. As such the watches have a distinct blend of edgy appeal and harmonious design.
Such is the case with the bold Mark VIII C. In this watch, the spirit of endurance racing is embodied in the automatic chronograph’s hour register subdial, which is engineered to count down the 24 hours (the duration of the storied long-distance competition). Each watch offers date and time indications along with the precise chronograph functions, which times to 5/10 second under a convex anti-glare sapphire crystal. All military style hour indexes are luminescent for easy readability. The 47mm case is crafted in steel or — in the newest version – in carbon fiber, and sold with either an exotic leather strap in python or bony crocodile. The collection retails starting at $7,500.
In addition to the Mark VIII C, other important models include the 
Mark VIII D, F (with versions adorned with diamonds to attract the woman who loves the mechanical roar under the hood), and the Mark VIII E 033 Chronograph with bold racing flag colors along the dial. All of the watches house top-quality mechanical movements (such as the Valjoux 7750 self-winding mechanical caliber), feature Incabloc shock resistance and are built in limited, numbered editions of 250 pieces or fewer (one special line has just 12 watches in it).
In fact the newest Carbon Fiber Mark VIII watch is created in a limited collection of just 50 pieces. Johansson and his teammates tested this watch at the famed Spa Francorchamps track in Belgium, where they negotiated 10,000 corners, 20,000 gearshifts and 2,000 miles of track for 24 hours. In this watch, the Valjoux movement sits inside a chassis of sorts, unattached to the case, so it can better withstand shock via a shock-suspension system. The case is machined from a solid block of aircraft-grade billet carbon fiber, not forged composite material. It retails for $15,000 — but only 50 exist – so if you want one, that 0.001 second timing may count!