The Chinese character for jade is a combination of the words for beauty and purity, but there’s far more behind the Chinese obsession with this stone than looks. Jade has been long associated with long life and good health in Chinese culture, making it a prized material for good-luck charms. Few Hong Kong newborns will be left to start life without a jade bracelet from grandma, and people of all ages receive new amulets each year based on their zodiac signs and computations of the ancient Chinese almanac.