The metaverse is shadowing our physical reality ever more closely, and now it’s coming for our accessories. But how does the world of virtual jewellery connect with the collectors and customers in today’s real-world high jewellery clientele? Icecap, a blockchain-based NFT platform, appears to have the answer. Selling “investment-grade” diamonds on NFT marketplace OpenSea, they issue the buyer with an NFT that represents incontrovertible ownership of a physical asset stored in a secured vault. Contrary to expectations, diamonds are not rare, and traditionally have recouped as little as 50 per cent of their original value on resale. Who is the...