I sort of disagree with the example of wristwatches. A wristwatch is not a blank canvas, it's a highly restrictive environment creatively. People look at those constraints, look at the bigger picture (that a watch is also a clothing accessory) and then stretch the limits.
Most people don't start with a blank canvas and come up with great ideas, the great ideas more often come when there is a need to figure out how to make the most of a limitation.