I was knee-deep in snow searching for a gold heirloom wedding ring in Kenosha, Wisconsin when my cellphone rang. The call was from Random Lake, Wisconsin resident, Kris Stemper. For those unfamiliar with Wisconsin, Random Lake is over an hour’s drive north from Kenosha.
An unfortunate flip of the wrist sent Kris’s wedding rings, all three of them, flying out into the snow in front of their house. The rings were mixed platinum and gold. The family obtained a metal detector but it proved to be a frustrating experience. The ground under the snow was full of metallic objects. And there was E.M.I. (Electromagnetic Interference) from buried electrical wires and cellphone towers in the area. Despite everyone’s best efforts, the three rings remained hidden in the snow. That’s when the decision was made to find a “professional” detectorist. Kris located me on the ring finders directory of metal-detecting specialists, an internet equivalent of the old Yellow Pages. Having found over 140 rings for clients, and having been detecting since the 1970’s, I guess that puts me into the “professional” bracket.
When I arrived in Random Lake, it was already dark. It was also my third search of the day, a day that totaled 296 miles on the road. Kris met me in front of the house and showed me the area where she believed her rings had come off. I could see evidence of previous search efforts in the snow. The thought occurred to me that the rings may have been stepped on and pushed down deeper into the snowbanks. My otherwise, trusty metal-detecting probe, had unfortunately stopped working at the previous search and so I had to dig in the snow with my mittens instead.
With the aid of a headlamp, I gradually expanded the search area and was eventually rewarded by a faint signal consistent with a fine band. My headlamp picked up a shimmer of silver and soon the first of Kris’s rings was safely in my pocket. Some moments later, the second ring, the platinum and diamond one, made its presence known and joined the first in my pocket. Finally the third ring, hidden in a clump of ice, made its appearance. And the smile on Kris’s face tells the rest of the story. 
If you or someone you love has lost a ring. Don’t let its story end. Call a member of the ring finders today!
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