Spinnaker is thrilled to release a series of limited-edition Dumas Automatic prints in partnership with acclaimed UK horological artist Inkdial (Ben Li).

Ben Li is a Hong Kong-British visual artist from UK who recognized globally for his impressively distinct hand-drawn timepiece art, we decided to collaborate with Ben for his unbelievable talents and capabilities to recreate complex details of luxury timepieces using just pens and markers.

WHY DID YOU START TO DRAW WATCHES?

I started drawing watches because I really liked the aesthetics, and I thought it would be a good subject to practice my illustration with. But I was then captivated by the different designs, the brand histories, and the watch community behind it. One of them being Spinnaker watches. So, I’m very honored to be collaborating with them for this Dumas collection. 


WALK US THROUGH YOUR DRAWING PROCESS, HOW DO YOU START?

There is a drawing process that I came up with and that I use in most of my artwork. It’s a 3-step process. I begin with the basic silhouette lines of the watch and then apply the basic color and texture and then lastly finish with the highlights and finer details. 

ARE YOU A FAN OF WATER SPORTS OR DIVING, IF SO, DO YOU HAVE ANY STORIES TO SHARE WITH US?

I’m quite a fan of water sports. It was something I used to do a lot during the holidays with family when I was younger. I remember we would go kayaking, water skiing, and scuba diving together and the first time I went scuba diving, it was in Pattaya Thailand. I remember it was during a low tide season and so, the area was very calm and tranquil. We managed to encounter many fishes and sea turtles. It was a beautiful really experience and memory. 


HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT SPINNAKER WATCHES? WHAT INTERESTS YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE BRAND AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IN THE FUTURE?

I have learned about Spinnaker watches for a while now. What interested me the most about the brand would be the diving and heritage-inspired watches that are yet fun and vibrant in design. And I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the upcoming releases in the future.