Received a call at 7:40 PM to search A/O at North Ave Beach in Chicago in the volleyball court. I LOVE Volleyball!!
Found the ring in about 20 minutes. Another recently married man reunited with his wedding ring. Perhaps not the best picture, but definitely expressive.
It’s always a GREAT feeling to be able to help someone.
By Lori Kurtzman The Columbus Dispatch Thursday June 21, 2012 9:24 AM
A Blacklick couple got into an argument one night last month. Cooler heads did not prevail.
It might have felt satisfying, what the man did, but it proved to be a bad decision because, once you chuck your fiancee’s engagement ring into the pitch black of your backyard, chances are you’re not getting it back.
Unless you know Jon Baughman — or any of the other Ring Finders.
They’re a worldwide collective of metal-detector enthusiasts who claim more than 430 successful recoveries of rings lost to wild gestures, extreme gardening and lovers’ quarrels.
“I guess that happens quite a bit,” said Baughman, a Licking County Ring Finder, recalling the email he got from the woman asking him to find her ring in a patch of thick weeds and water. Her fiance had launched it in that direction.
Baughman is 27, a father of two with a third on the way in Washington Township, near Utica. Right now, the former Army National Guardsman is looking for work, so he figured he’d try to make some cash from the hobby his wife’s grandfather introduced him to years ago.
A few months ago, he came across the Ring Finders website, which was started by a Canadian man who seems to enjoy nothing more than reuniting people with their jewelry. The site is full of success stories, emotional tales of lost rings. In one story, a finder salvages a clumsy proposal by digging up the ring a brain surgeon buried in the beach sand and promptly lost.
Baughman added his name to the directory in February.
He charges $25 to respond to a call. He figures that’s enough for gas and a Gatorade. He’s more interested in helping than making money. He asks for a reward only if he actually finds the ring.
The ring in Blacklick initially eluded him. He had the fiance throw test rings, trying to re-create the mood of that night, seeing where the diamond might have landed. But after three hours of searching, he lost the sunlight and found nothing.
He came back another day and worked quickly, already familiar with the area. Within 15 minutes, there it was — a shiny little declaration of love.
He texted a photo of the ring to the fiancee. She was elated.For perhaps obvious reasons, the woman asked not to be identified in this story, but she said she and her fiance are getting along much better now. They plan to marry by the end of summer.
Baughman doesn’t get sentimental about such things. He’s a detective, not a therapist.
“The main thing is being satisfied that you did find the ring,” Baughman said. “And next time they throw it, they’ve already got your number there to call.”
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/06/21/finders-ease-the-sting-of-losing-the-bling.html
Received a call to locate a new 14K white gold ring with diamonds and pink sapphires. The ring was just given to her two days ago by her husband. Not sure if she lost it while gardening at her home in Arlington Heights, IL. or at other locations. Could also be at other locations in the yard. Just knew it was lost. About 30 minutes into the search in her garden….Bling!! and I mean BLING!
I received a call from a young man who had just lost his new wedding band at the volleyball court at Montrose Beach.
He and his wife had just been married two weeks ago and were having a picnic with their friends. On the way over he asked his wife where her rings were and she said that because they were going to the beach she left them home…..Well I got the call.
Literally on the first swing of the coil, I had a tone. I swept back to verify, and dug. BINGO!
His comment…. »THATS IMPRESSIVE »
There were so many cameras taking pictures, I felt like a rock star.
It’s great to be a Ring Finder.
I found this 2007 High School ring in the water at Round Lake, IL. and spent a week trying to return it to it’s owner. I called the school and because of privacy issues could not give me any contact information. I then went to the white pages and called everyone with the same last name within a 40 mile area. I received a call back and had them describe the ring.
Apparently, playing football in the water might not be the best thing to do if you want to keep your rings. She lost it 6 years ago doing the football thing with her dad.
I sent the ring back to her and received a thank you after she received it. She declined the request to submit a photo with her returned ring.
No problem, I can understand the privacy issue. Attaches if a photo of the ring (Sans Owner).
James S. Evans
A proud member of the Ring Finders
Hello from Don & Ellen Wilson in Dallas, Texas. We got a call today from Mrs Bundy, her 8yr old daughter, Briar, had lost her Gold Signet Ring at the playground of the local Country Club. We met at the Country Club and began searching the area where the daughter said she saw the ring fly off her hand. She was playing Queen of the World by standing on top of a picnic table and threw her arm out like she was Queen. The ring came off of her hand and was lost.
After 3 weeks of searching by Briar, her parents, other family members and the Country Club grounds & Management staff everyone had given the ring up for lost. Mrs Bundy’s sister in New York read an article about « The Ring Finders » and told Mrs. Bundy she should check the website and see if there was a « Ring Finder in the Dallas area » She did and found my wife and I.
After about an hour of searching we were about to call it quits when I asked the little girl to get back up on the picnic table and re-inact the event. She did, then my wife said « no wait, do it again and close your eyes and do it the exact same way ». Briar did as we requested and did it completely different than she had previously showed us. This time I saw that it was possible the ring may have flown in a different area of grass. We began to detect this area and in 5 minutes the ring showed itself. I called the little girl and her mother over and asked, ‘is this your ring’? They were so excited and so grateful.
Another great day in the life of « The Ring Finders in Dallas,Tx »
God I love this hobby!
Don & Ellen
This ring was lost on Memorial day weekend. Lost for 3 days, found in 10 minutes. I met the owner at the beach. He had been searching with a rented detector. He had actually searched the exact area when I arrived. Took me less than 10 minutes to find the ring.
We received a panic call from a young man about 8pm one night saying that his girlfriend had lost the locket and chain he had given her somewhere in his front yard. He wanted us come that night but we were tied up and promised to come early the next morning. We arrived around 7am and he explained that he and his girlfriend had been playing around in the front yard when the incident happened. She had placed the item in the pocket of her hoodie prior to playing around. She was extremely upset with him and he was really upset that he couldn’t find it himself.
We got out our detectors and began scanning and in just 5 minutes or so we got a HIT. We found the locket and chain. He was shocked and happy and could not thank us enough.
What a thrill to have another successful hunt for « The Ring Finder ».
Don & Ellen Wilson – Carrollton,Texas
Received a call about a lost gold wedding band. Apparently, while throwing a football to his young son, his wedding ring flew off. They had searched for a day using a metal detector, but to no avail. I drove out to their house did a search in the backyard for about an hour. I found the ring and united it with the owner. Both the husband and the wife were very happy. I spent about another half hour showing his 3 children how to use my detector and all three found Pennies. It’s a great hobby for kids and I always try to encourage kids to try metal detecting.
I was just sitting down to dinner when I got a phone call from a man who needed my help.
He tells me that he lost a very special ring that his girlfriend gave him 10 years ago.
He was in a wedding party and some time during the day and a few drinks his ring had slipped off his finger.
The problem with these kind of searches is that it’s a needle in a haystack.
The only places he thought the ring might be was at Stanley Park in Vancouver where they took photos or at the church outside where they had the wedding.
Dano had a good feeling and decided to start at Stanley Park, I met him and his girlfriend there to start the search. When I get a search like this I have them show me the area then I grid search until I find the ring or I feel comfortable that its not there and move to the next location.
10 minutes into the search I get a great signal and I kick the grass and see a gold ring looking back up at me!
I call Dano over to ask him a few questions about the location while I turn on my flip video camera… The rest is on the video below!
I have to say that it was our lucky day as a search like that could take many, many hours. I was just as happy as Dano!!
I Love My Job!
Lost something?
Call ASAP
Chris Turner:778-838-3463