So there he was, the young, fashion-forward Muscovite at the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation gala, wearing a Hedi Slimane tuxedo, bespoke Richard James shoes and chains of diamond-encrusted cross necklaces and gigantic skull rings. “I don’t like the old-fashioned stuff – for me, it’s all about contemporary jewellery,” he announced.

Skulls and crosses contemporary? Veteran jewellery designer Loree Rodkin, one of the first to introduce the rock ‘n’ roll/medieval theme to high-end jewellery, rolls her eyes. “A friend wore my skull ring at a recent party and a guest said it looked like a knock-off of Damien Hirst’s jewelled skull,” says Rodkin. “But she had bought the ring in 1989!” Indeed, from Jade Jagger to Theo Fennell via designers such as Alexander McQueen, skulls have become practically a fashion staple, to the extent that Rodkin says it is time to redefine “contemporary”.