The Ring Finders Blog

Garrapata beach, south of Carmel, ring found

  • from Monterey (California, United States)

Got a call from a gentleman who lost his wife’s ring on Garrapata beach, ~ 20 minutes south of Carmel, CA.   Had put it in his jacket pocket for “safe keeping”.   But later had taken off the jacket and bundled it up to carry .  And , although they didn’t realize the ring was missing till they’d arrived back at their Monterey hotel, yet figured it probably fell out of the pocket while on-the-beach.   Their suspicions and approx. location were correct.

 

A platinum band surrounded with diamonds.   They can now return to southern CA with their ring safely back in their possession.  Glad I could help you guys !  Thanx for the generous tip.

 

 

Also, it came to my attention that he didn’t get referred to this service through “Ringfinders” website/directory necessarily.  But instead had come up in chat AI search results, with merely my name.  But I assume that EVEN THAT is a result of the ring-finders’ directory key-word search , that fuels AI search results.  So I assume this is still essentially from the RF website system results.

Diamond earring lost and found – Daphne, AL

Last night, just as I was heading to bed, my phone dinged with a message.

“Sorry for the late text,” it read. “Lost 1.5 carat diamond earring in a flower bed. Call tomorrow… or Monday… or now.”

Well… of course I called now.

David explained that his wife Jennifer had lost her earring while working in the flower bed earlier that day. They believed it was somewhere in the pine straw around her hydrangeas. It was insured, he said… but it was a sentimental gift that meant a great deal to her.

Earrings are my least favorite type of jewelry to recover – they are sooooo tiny. But there was no way I was saying no. We made plans for me to head to the next county over the next day and give it a shot.

Fortunately, they had the matching earring. That gave me a huge advantage. I ran it under my Minelab Equinox 900 to check the VDI and tone.

Park 1? Nothing.

Park 2? Bouncy low tone.

Beach 1 and 2? Nada. 😬

Gold mode? A nice solid signal.  Now we’re talking.

The search area was small but tricky—pine straw, landscaping debris, and plenty of potential junk targets hiding underneath. Jennifer stood nearby, clearly anxious, asking what she could do to help.

My answer?

“Pray.”

(Which, honestly, I do with every swing when I’m working a recovery.)

Almost immediately, I got a promising signal—perfectly matching the test earring. My excitement didn’t last long… after chasing it with my pinpointer for what seemed like forever, I pulled out a teeny, tiny scrap of tinfoil.

Next target? A small nail.

Then more foil.

A screw.

Even a Christmas light connector.

I started weighing my options—carefully remove the pine straw or move to another area she had worked. Just then, I caught another shallow 2 VDI tone right along the edge of the flower bed where it met the monkey grass.

I knelt down, reached in with my pinpointer, and gently pushed the grass aside…

…and there it was.

A flash of sparkle.

That unmistakable wink of a diamond looking right back at me. 🙌

I’m not sure who was more surprised—me or Jennifer—but I can tell you this: there were happy tears from both of us.

That feeling never gets old.

The best reward isn’t the find itself—it’s the look on someone’s face when you place a lost, sentimental piece of jewelry back into their hand.

Pendant Lost In Lyman, Maine Grass, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)

Just before 8:00pm, Thursday evening, I received a phone call from Elley. Elley told me that she is a professional dog trainer and that earlier in the day she had taken a “Rescue Dog, from Georiga, to Bunganut Lake , Bunganut Lake Town Park, Lyman, Maine . The dog, Kasper had been taken to the park, for a walk and a little play time. While playing with Kasper, Elley felt Kasper catch her necklace and breaking it. Elley was able to actually catch her “Tiffany & Co.” key pendant but didn’t see her other pendant. Her other pendant wasn’t a “precious metal “, like the Tiffany & Co. Pendant but a pendant, with a copper base metal. However, this pendant held great sentimental value because this pendant has an engraving, of Elley’s beloved dog, Mina. Elley has told me that Mina is her “Soul Dog” and loves her to the moon and back.
So, Elley is a busy woman and had multiple appointments, to train dogs, Friday morning. She thought she could get away at lunch, noontime, on Friday and show me the area, she thought the pendant was lost. I always prefer someone to show me the exact area, when the owner, thinks their item was lost. I can’t tell you how many times, I have searched the wrong area, because trying to describe an area, on the phone or text messages just doesn’t always work. When people look at a map, it isn’t the same as when they are there in person.
So, Friday afternoon, we met at the park and Elley walked me down to the area, that Kasper accidentally broke her necklace. The area wasn’t large, maybe 50’ X 50’. I could search that area, in no time. I would start a grid search of the area, east to west, and then west to east, on my return trip, to the area, I started in. Being a park, with swimming, cookouts and a playground, I knew there would be a lot of metal trash, in this park. I decided to use my smaller 9” coil, for my Minelab Manticore metal detector. The smaller coil would pick up less trash, with every swing making it easier to hear the pendant, I was searching for. As I started searching, I was picking up lots of trash signals and also, lots of coin signals. Elley went to get Kasper, out of her vehicle, while I searched , so she could walk him. As I grid searched, back and forth, I could see Elley and the dog, on one of the trails. As I was watching Kasper happily pulling Elley along, I received a very loud mid tone, and reading 63-64, on my VDI screen. Definitely an object, in the copper range and only one bar showing on my VDI. This is my depth gauge and one bar is telling me that the target is on top of the surface to 2 or 3 inches, below the surface. With recently lost items, a one bar display, is exactly what I was hoping for. I looked down at the area and after 10 seconds or so, I spotted a copper colored pendant, hidden in the dead grass. BANG, After just 15 minutes of searching, I had the pendant. Elley and Kasper were walking towards me and I told her that I had found her pendant. After tying Kasper up, at the swing set, she excitedly came over, to me. I hadn’t picked the pendant up and asked Elley if she could see her pendant, in the dead grass. After showing her the area and with a clue or two, it still took 30 seconds of visually scanning the area, before she finally found the pendant. That how well it was hidden, in the grass. Elley screamed with delight and was all smiles, holding the pendant, up to her body, so thankful to have her Soul Dog Pendant back. I took a video, of Elley, visually searching, for her pendant and you may see it, on The Ring Finders of Maine’s Facebook Page.
Elley has given me permission to show her business card and I will be happy to. Should anyone in Southern Maine or New Hampshire have any questions about her dog training, or her other dog services, please reach out to her at 603-502-8682 and she will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Although I wasn’t able to meet Elley’s Soul Dog, Mina, Elley assured me she would give Mina the good news of getting her pendant back. As anyone who has ever owned a dog, dogs really are a member of the family.
So, another pendant, back on the chain. I love my job, it’s the best job, in the world 🦮😀❤️🙏

Lost gold wedding ring recovered, South Bend, Indiana

  • from Granger (Indiana, United States)

Chris contacted me about a lost ring he hoped could be recovered. His wife, who passed away last year, had lost the ring while they were raking leaves in the front yard (4 years ago). She was not certain when it fell off, nor where.
Chris got curious about trying to find the ring, started searching for ways to maybe rent a metal detector to try finding it. He discovered The Ringfinders in his research and opted to hire me for this recovery attempt.
The front yard was along a busy road, which almost always equals lots of metallic debris. I had to sort through many targets of foil, shredded can pieces, bottle caps and just various metal objects. After a half hour or so, a nice sounding target presented itself, within the area he guessed had the higher potential. Within the small clump of grass roots and dirt I pried up, I could see the edge of a ring.

Lost Yellow Gold & Diamonds Wedding Band at Aulani Beach…FOUND!!!

  • from O‘ahu (Hawaii, United States)

This ring find began yesterday  when I got a text from Ryan who was from Chicago and on Spring Break staying at the Aulani Resort.  While playing catch in shallow water of the lagoon Ryan’s Yellow Gold & Diamonds Wedding Ring came off and disappeared in the sand.  He sent a pic and circled the area in question.  I immediately called and found out Ryan would be leaving the next day around noon.  We agreed to meet early the next morning and it would be a low tide as a bonus.  I arrived the next morning and texted Ryan.  He met me on the beach and gave me the coordinates for a grid search.  I didn’t find the ring in that box.  I went ashore and discussed the event that caused the ring to be lost and it was when he was catching the ball.  Many times in that situation the ball flings the ring further then you imagine.  I told Ryan I would extend the grid search deeper and he could just relax on the beach and I would call him when I complete the hunt.  Low and behold on the third leg I got a screaming target on the Manticore.  On the second dig Ryan’s ring was in the scoop.  I started walking ashore and noticed Ryan sitting in a beach chair.  I held up the ring and yelled, “Got It!” I hand dropped it to Ryan and I could sense a sigh of relief.  He shouted over to his lovely wife Jamie, “He found it!”  Jamie came over to see for sure.  I believe she said, “I can’t believe it!”  but was obviously very happy.  We took a few pics and Ryan was able to return home with his ring on his finger.  Aloha to Ryan & Jamie!

 

Man’s Silver Wedding Band Lost in Thick Dune Weeds/Grass, Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)

This search and recovery started with a phone call from Madison on Thursday, March 26, 2026, just before 8 p.m. She asked if I could help find her husband’s silver wedding band at the beach. She told me that her husband had tossed her his keys and his ring. She caught the keys, but the ring had gone a totally different direction. She also told me it happened in the dune with grass and weeds, and the ring could also be in some bushes. I told her I was tied up until about 9:45-10:00 p.m. and asked if she would be able to meet me. She agreed and told me which beach access it was.

We met up as planned and she walked me out between houses to a sandy beach access foot path and showed me the overgrown area where the ring was. She showed me about where her husband was standing when he tossed his keys and ring. She then showed me the direction she saw the ring fly. I had my Equinox 800 and knew a silver man’s ring was going to ring up in the mid to high 20s depending on the size of the ring. I attempted to do some sort of a grid search but found that difficult with the high grass and weeds. She thought the flight path was towards, what looked like, a small pine tree. I was able to check the branches and maneuvered enough to get under the tree and check that area. I ended up doing a kind of a circle search and stretching it out as I went. At some point, she had mentioned that her husband was leaving town the next morning and he was watching the kids. After maybe 20-25 minutes or more, I told her that she didn’t need to stick around and I’d call her one way or the other. She agreed and headed home. I decided to start over from where he was standing and work my way in straight lines. Within 5 minutes, I got a solid 32 on the VDI (visual display indicator). The only 32 signal I had ever received on the 800 was a silver dollar. I turned my headlamp on and searched the ground where the signal came from and saw a little tiny sliver of something peeking out of the sand. I reached down and ran my finger over it and uncovered a beautiful silver hammered ring, just like she said it was. She also told me their wedding date was engraved inside the ring. Bingo! I couldn’t read the engraving, but it appeared to be a date. I took a quick picture and sent it to her saying, “This it?” She immediately responded, “oh my gosh, Yesss.” She called and said she was turning around. I told her we could meet in the middle and picked a MacDonald’s. About 15 minutes later she had her husband’s ring back in her hand, a big smile on her face and heading home. I got a text from her the next day saying, “That her husband is so so happy. You really saved the day and more. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am.” This is exactly why I do this! I wasn’t able to get her picture, so I filled in for her.

Madison – Thank you for calling me and allowing me the opportunity to find and return your husband’s ring.

Best wishes, Jim

IPhone Lost in the sand, Found and Returned in the Wet Sand at Garden City Beach SC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)

Right around 10 am, Monday, March 23, 2026, I got a phone call from Luke saying he lost his IPhone on the beach in Garden City and asked if I would be able to help. Luke sent me a couple of pictures and the coordinates. He also sent me the address of the Resort. I told him I’d give it a shot and grabbed my gear and headed out on the 45-minute drive. Along the way Luke text me, “The phone should be about 1/3 to ½ from the hotel to the water and if you’re facing the hotel with your back to the water, it should be more towards the left side of the hotel.” He didn’t say and I didn’t ask about what time it happened, but I knew I’d be working against an incoming tide with high ide in a couple of hours.

I arrived on site and took and sent him a video to make sure I was in the right spot. He replied that I was, so I started a perpendicular grid line from the top of the beach to about knee deep in rough surf. I knew an IPhone rings up crazy, anywhere from high 20s to mid 30s on the Equinox 800 VDI (visual display indicator). I think I was on my 6th grid line and got the high signal (34) I was looking for. It took me 3 scoops of wet sand to get to his phone, but I got it. I tried turning it on with no luck. I was concerned the phone may have been under too much water to work. I took a couple of pictures of his phone and sent him a text saying, “This it?” He immediately called me and confirmed it was his. We discussed how to get it back to him in Charlotte, NC the fastest way possible. I told him I’d go to the Post Office and call him back.  I took my equipment and his phone back to the car and decided to get one more picture. I walked back down to the beach just in time to watch a guy with a detector walk within 2 feet of where I had found Luke’s phone. Glad I found it first. Ended up sending the phone thru USPS and he got it back within 3 days. Luke let me know he got the phone, charged it up and it works perfectly. A little back story is that Luke, his wife; brother-in-law and his brother-in-law’s girlfriend were enjoying the beach. Luke took a little nap and soon after waking up, they packed up to go home. They checked the area and it wasn’t until they got about ½ way home before he realized he didn’t have his phone. He did call the local police, who sent a couple of officers down to see if they could spot the phone, with no luck. The next day Luke was able to find me on The Ring Finders and gave me the call.

Luke – Thanks for trusting me to help find you phone. Best wishes to you and yours.

Jim

Found in Avila Beach. Need help finding a lost item? Call Marc (805) 458-6218

  • from Pismo Beach (California, United States)
Did you lose something in Avila Beach?

Found on Dog Beach

Lost items? Found! Happy to help. Call Marc (805) 458- 6218

  • from Pismo Beach (California, United States)
Lost items. Found!

What ever you have lost I can help.
Marc

Lost ring in Pismo Beach? I can help! Call Marc at (805) 458-6218

  • from Pismo Beach (California, United States)
Pismo Beach sunrise

Sunrise at Pismo Beach