In the heart of Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm, a bold installation recently caught the attention of passersby: towering 10-foot shopping bags in Wempe’s signature red, reimagined through the eyes of London-based illustrator Ben Li, better known as INKDIAL.
The collaboration marked the unveiling of Wempe’s novelty Ironwalker collection, with Li’s distinct style breathing playful life into the brand’s rigorous codes of watchmaking. Combining technical detail with comic-inspired storytelling, his work bridges the world of horology and art in a way that feels fresh, graphic, and accessible.
“The Wempe piece was first hand-illustrated in my London studio using paint markers,” Li shares. “We then digitized the artwork and brought it to scale on the installation in Berlin.” The result: a striking blend of craft and spectacle, balancing Wempe’s tradition with Li’s youthful energy.
While the behind-the-scenes process remains mostly in his sketchbooks, Li offers glimpses into both this project and his previous collaborations with Wempe, each underscoring his signature approach: horology as narrative, captured through illustration.
With the Ironwalker project, Wempe once again demonstrates its openness to creative dialogue, merging fine watchmaking with contemporary culture. And for INKDIAL, the installation cements his place as a rising voice in horological illustration — one capable of reframing luxury through scale, story, and sheer imagination.
