Carrying photographs and locks of hair as mementos of loved ones is no longer merely an old-fashioned practice, it's positively archaic. However, innovative jewellery maker LAByrinth, which is owned by locally based company Hong Kong DNA Chips, has created a 21st-century equivalent - a locket in which you can store DNA.
LAByrinth takes samples of DNA by running a swab inside the mouth, before crystallising the microscopic DNA strands and storing them in a vial filled with glycerol and water.
There are seven types of locket ($1,650) available to hang on black DuraCord or silver snake-bone chains. The DNA can be immersed in aqua, violet or clear liquid.
The lab is open from 9am-6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am-1pm on Saturdays. Necklaces take up to seven working days to complete.
The necklaces, which come with a one-year warranty, are also available online. Shoppers receive a free DNA-collection kit complete with instructions on how to take a DNA sample, which must then be mailed to the lab. You should receive your necklace in about three weeks.
