The recent reveal of the Audemars Piguet / Marvel, Black Panther collaboration, took me back a bit, but it immediately got me thinking how brand bias can influence market acceptance of some of the most avant-garde, if not outlandish designs, while other lesser known / popular brands offering similar designs, are vilified.
Admittedly, I'm not a mark for the super hero universe tribute watches. However, I understand that there is a huge niche market for collectibles of these alternate universes. Most of the time, the more affordable brands are all over this genre, because it automatically aligns with their business model, selling units that have widespread mass appeal through price point; bonus if they're able to tie-in an ultra-popular theme like the D.C. or Marvel Universe.
The reality, if a brand like the Invicta Watch Group created a dial design like the AP - Black Panther, it would be lauded by fans of Invicta, and almost universally hated by nearly every other watch collector.
I suppose such is the way of the world. I would just suggest in the future, whenever any brand releases a design outside of what is generally considered the "safe" zone, all should take the time to view the design objectively, through a broader lens, before passing judgement.