Got a call from Taylor, a reporter from WBTW Channel 13 news, wanting to do a story on The Ring Finders of North Myrtle Beach. I agreed to the interview and contacted Matt Fry, TRF Myrtle Beach, and invited him to join in. We all met up on Oct 14th and had a great time. Enjoy.
Jim
TESTIMONIAL:
It was 4pm on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Crescent Beach in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Our family had spent an overcast day on the beach together and had begun discussing dinner plans for the evening. The sun began to peek from the clouds, so my brother-in-law and his girlfriend decided to throw a football before we packed up for the day, so I joined. They went out in the surf at least waist deep, and I stayed ankle-shin deep to throw back out to them. Never had an issue with my college ring coming off my hand, but after a few throws, using my right hand, the water had helped to loosen the ring. That’s when it happened, I threw the ball out, and as my arm came down from the throw, I felt the ring come off. I didn’t see or hear where it hit the water. That’s when instant panic set in. However, I stopped and looked at where I was in relation to stationary objects on the beach, anchored boats in front of us and storm water markers nearby. I yelled for help from my brother-in-law and then called my wife down from the umbrella. Four of us frantically searched in the shallow surf for at least 15 minutes, until I realized that the ring would have burrowed in the sand by now and it would be hopeless to keep searching. That is when my wife and I both felt “shell shocked” at the loss. Mainly because the ring was custom made, almost a decade after graduating college, and it was very pricey. I had only had it for a little over a month — hence the rookie mistake of forgetting to take it off in the first place.
By this time, it was 4:15pm, I stepped back up on the beach and thought to myself, check the tide chart. It was almost at peak high tide, and low tide would be after 11pm that night, in which I knew the area the ring was in, would be completely uncovered with water at that time. Do we come back then and dig around? That’s when I thought to search online for “professional metal detecting service, north myrtle beach”. The first result I clicked on took me to a “TheRingFinders” webpage with the first article showing a recovery of a woman’s wedding band set in North Myrtle Beach almost a year ago by a gentleman. I skimmed the article and realized that this was no novice just messing around, this guy must be a true professional given the circumstances of that recovery. That’s when I located his number and dialed it. On the third ring, I was greeted by Jim. Confirming he was in fact the “the ring finder man.” He proceeded to ask where I was, and I gave him details of what had just happened. It was 4:20pm, and he said stay put, I will be there in 20 minutes. He dropped his plans with his wife and immediately came to us to help.
Exactly 20 minutes later, Jim called me, and I watched as he walked out on the beach – “to the rescue.” He came up introduced himself and immediately my wife and I felt a sense of calm. He was super friendly, lighthearted about the situation so that we were able to laugh about it and at the same time. He obtained details and immediately set forth on his mission. Starting from a point we indicated, he worked in and out south. His grid patterning from the boundaries that we provided was evident that this was “not his first rodeo!” We anxiously watched and waited.
After close to a dozen in-and-out passes, from the beach to waist deep, out past where we told him I would have been standing. He came ashore, asked more questions from myself and my brother-in-law, and redirected his search north from where he started. On the second pass headed out, he stopped, right about where I would have been standing, now knee-deep. His waving motion of his detector had stopped. He was holding it still on something. Moving the detector aside, he took his scoop and made one dip into the water and up came a “scoop full of sand.” He carefully washed away the sand from the scoop and reached inside it. Turning around to walk ashore, he looked at us and “did a little dance!” That’s when we knew, bingo!
Jim came ashore, walked up to me and held out his fisted hand, and dropped my ring in my hand. Mission accomplished recovery complete. Everyone seemed shocked that he found it, myself included – however, I really and truly had faith in Jim from the time I talked with him on the phone. I would have been more shocked if he wasn’t able to recover it, that’s how much I trusted his skill. I had not read his biography at this point, nothing other than the skimming of that one story online. Later, we learned that Jim served our wonderful country for many years in the United States Coast Guard and also working in the federal government. He has continued his selfless service to people along the Grand Strand area for many years in his retirement – what a kind gesture to put his skills to work in such a way to help those in a panicked time of need.
“Thank you” was simply not enough to express my gratitude for his help. I went to shake his hand, and instead he leaned in and we exchanged a “bear hug!” A friendship was sparked. I gave Jim some cash that I hoped would be enough monetary compensation for his time, effort and ultimate success. He didn’t count it, but instead held it up and said “whatever this is, just know that ten percent of it will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in honor of you and your wife!” Such a kind gesture, once again.
In less than an hour and a half, a ring was “lost” by me and then recovered by a true professional and class act, Mr. Jim Wren. A one-of-a-kind college ring now really is a conversation piece, with a story to tell! Something that I will be able to pass down.
God Bless You Mr. Jim, you deserve all the best my friend!
Sincerely,
Travis
I received a text message from my son-in-law, Donnie Constransitch, saying that he was busy at the aqua park and to call Chandler for a lost ring in the soft sand. I called Chandler and she said she lost her ring last night in the dry sand and she knew the area where it was. I told her I’d be there in 10 minutes.
When I arrived, I called Chandler from the parking lot saying I was walking out on the beach. We met on the beach and she pointed out the area. She described the ring as a yellow gold ring with 5 diamonds. I turned my Equinox 800 on, took four steps and hit a solid 14/15 on the VDI (visual display indicator). That VDI was definitely in the range of a gold ring. I took a scoop of sand, gently shook the sand out and saw the gold ring. I held the scoop out so Chandler could retrieve her ring. I could see the relief in her face and then she told me the story. The ring originally belonged to Chandler’s Great Uncle; it was passed to Chandler’s aunt and then passed to Chandler. I completely understood the sentimental value associated with this heirloom and so excited it was back where it belonged.
Chandler – Thank you for trusting me and The Ring Finders to help find your lost treasure.
Jim
On Wednesday, Sept 22nd, I got the following text message, in part, from Ben saying, “Hi Jim. I found your site after I lost my gold ring. I lost the ring about an hour and a half ago in a wading pool near the ocean. Would you be able to come see if you can find it asap before the tide change? Thank you.” Knowing the tide table, he lost it right at low tide. I knew by the time I would have gotten there, his ring would be underwater, with an incoming tide and out of reach of me trying to find it. I called him and got some additional details. Luckily, other than losing his ring, he did everything right as far as knowing exactly where he lost it. Unfortunately, he had to leave town for a work meeting, but we agreed I’d meet his wife, Katie, on the beach today at 3 p.m. and she could show me the exact spot. The last thing I asked him to do was pace off the distance from a stationary object at the top of the beach to where he lost his ring and text me the steps. A short time later, he sent me the paces and the starting point.
Today, I text Katie saying that I was going to be there a little early. I also told her that with all the information Ben had given me that there was no need for her to meet me. Ben had mentioned that he and Katie had an 11 month old, so I didn’t want her to have to worry about the baby just to point something out to me. I paced off the distance Ben had given me and started a west to east perpendicular grid search from the beach to the surf. I met a couple of ladies that had been there to help Ben and Katie search for his ring the day before and thought that they were east of where I was searching. Within about 10 minutes, Katie, her baby, and her mother showed up. Katie also thought they were a little more east than I was searching. So I moved east and changed my west to east search to a east to west search. After about 45 minutes, I got the tone and numbers I was looking for on my Equinox 800 for a man’s gold wedding band. As soon as I got the signal I looked over at Katie, who was standing about 20 yards away with her mother and baby and gave her the “I got it” look. I think she froze where she stood and didn’t take her eyes off me. After 2 scoops, Ben’s ring was lying on top of the sand. I picked it up, washed off the sand and turned around to face Katie, holding the ring up for her to see. She was overwhelmed and her excitement alerted the entire beach that something was going on. She ran over to me, wiping the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Being just a small part of that kind of excitement is exactly why I do this, there’s nothing better. I took the attached picture and sent it to Ben, with no text. He immediately responds saying, “Hey Jim, I am on a plane and get texts but no pics. Did you find it??” Katie and I agreed that I’d just send him “Wait till u land!” It was kind of mean, but he seeing his wife holding his ring would make it all worth it. It wasn’t long before he sent “Yesssss!”
Ben and Katie – Thank you so much for trusting me and The Ring Finders to help find and return your precious treasure. Your ring now has one more chapter to add to its story. Best of luck to you two!
Jim
Monday afternoon started with a message from Taylor saying in part “Hello Ring Finders I’m so so hoping you can help!!! I have lost my wedding ring!!!! We are staying at the sea mist oceanfront resort in Myrtle Beach. I’m hoping you can help.” This ring call is in Matt Fry’s area, so I’m in the process of calling Matt when Taylor calls me. I ask Taylor a few questions that I could relay to Matt. She explained that her and her family had been there since around 8 a.m. She said she had taken her ring off to apply sun screen to the family and couldn’t remember if she put it back on or not. She also mentioned that she had gone in the ocean at some point but no deeper than knee deep. I explained to her that I’m trying to get a hold of Matt, who covers Myrtle Beach, for her ring search and that one of us would call her back shortly. When I got a hold of Matt, I started giving him the information. I then asked him if he wanted to take it, I must have sounded pretty pathetic because he said “if you want to take it, go ahead. I’ve got work in the shop to do.” I thanked him and called Taylor back saying I was on my way.
When I got to the beach, there was no place to park. I called Taylor and she met me in the resort’s parking lot and was able to get me a temporary parking pass. As we walked out to the beach, I learned they were on vacation from Virginia. She also mentioned that they had seen another detectionist earlier on the beach and had asked him if he could try and find her ring. He checked the area where they were sitting and then recommended they contact The Ring Finders, that’s how she found me. I know a lot of the guys detecting in Myrtle Beach and I know they’re good and thorough in their searches. But from the description that Taylor gave me, I couldn’t picture who it was. For my own piece of mind and to say I checked, I did a quick search around their umbrella and out in front a few feet. I then started a grid search from where they were sitting out to the low tide line. Probably 8 to 10 grid lines, I got a solid 13. On the equinox 800, a 13 VDI could be a pull tab, a man’s thin gold ring, a nickel, or a woman’s big white gold wedding band. After digging a scoop of sand and spreading it out on the beach, I didn’t see anything. I ran my coil over the area and got the 13 again. I didn’t see a thing so I’m thinking a pull tab. I’m moving the sand with my foot and saw a very small silver looking “thing.” I reached down and plucked Taylor’s beautiful white and rose gold wedding ring out of the wet sand. I walked down to the water and washed the sand off the ring. I then made my way back up to where Taylor and Brandon were sitting, making it look like I was done. I stood in front of Taylor and ask her what her ring looks like. As she’s explaining her ring, I slowly hold it up next to my face so she can see it. She screamed “you found my ring” and exploded out of her chair. Big, Big Hug and some tears. This is why I love doing what I do!
Big shout out and thank you to Bill Judy, who was the detectionist that referred Taylor and Brandon to The Ring Finders and Matt Fry, who let me take this ring call.
Taylor and Brandon – Thank you for trusting me and The Ring Finders to help find your lost treasure. Have a great rest of your vacation and a safe trip back home!
Jim
Tuesday afternoon I received a FB text from Crystal saying, “I lost my ring at Beach Cove Resort: 4800 South Ocean Blvd. I know the area right where it is but haven’t found it yet! I’ve been trying to find someone with a metal detector but we leave Thursday, and they are few and far between”. I replied saying call me with my number. When she called, I got a little more detail and told her I’d be there in 15 minutes.
When I got there, I called her from the lobby. Shortly after, she walked off the elevator and we introduced ourselves. On the way out to the beach, she told me she had lost the ring the day before. I was a little nervous, and hopeful the beach cleaning truck or a person with a metal detector hadn’t already found it. She said the ring was a black onyx silver ring, and showed me the small area, maybe 10’X10’, where she had been sitting. I turned the Equinox 800 on and started a grid search. On my second pass, I got a strong 25 on the VDI (visual display indicator) and I knew I had a solid silver target. I looked down and could clearly see the ring sitting on the sand; Crystal saw it about the same time. She said they had been looking off and on for the last 2 days for it.
Crystal, Thanks for call me to help find your lost treasure. Enjoy the rest of your vacation and have a safe trip back home to Virginia.
Jim
Tanna called me shortly before 1pm from a number that showed Vancouver, WA. She said she had lost her rings around Windy Hill in North Myrtle Beach. When I started asking about the location, she put her grandfather on the phone who gave me the exact location. When Tanna got back on, I asked her whether she had been in the dry sand, wet sand, or the ocean when she lost them. When she responded she lost them in the dry sand, I got really excited. It’s not very often I get a call for lost rings in the dry sand; they’re mostly lost in the ocean. During the back and forth with questions and answers, I ask if she could Google earth me the beach, with the area circled. She could and she did! When I asked how she lost them, she told me she had put them in a little pouch connected to the beach chair, and then forgot about them. Later, she told me she didn’t realize they were gone until around 8pm as she was helping her grandmother with dinner and the dishes. So far, this was sounding like one of those searches you dream about. I grabbed my Equinox 800 and was out the door.
When I got to the beach about 1:30, I called her to confirm a couple of small issues, mainly about where they had been sitting. One thing she brought up is that they had been sitting behind the life guard stand. Unfortunately, the stand had been moved to the top of the beach near the sand dunes. But, it gave me a better idea of where to search. I started a grid line from the guard stand to the wet sand line working my way south. After the sixth grid line, I moved back to my starting point and starting working my way north. On my third line, I got a solid VDI of 6 on the detector which was what I was expecting for a lady’s white gold ring. I took a shallow scoop of sand and laid it out on the beach and saw a beautiful diamond looking up at me, with the rest of the ring still buried. After picking her engagement ring up, I ran my coil around the same area and got another 6 on the VDI, I knew this one was her wedding band. I took a picture and sent her a text saying “BOOM!” with the picture of both rings. I called her, and I could tell she was very excited and grateful. Finding out she was only an hour and a half away, we agreed to meet halfway at a McDonalds. When we met, I was able to meet her husband, Alex. I got the biggest hug from Tanna and a firm handshake from Alex, both of which validates exactly why The Ring Finders exist!
Tanna and Alex – Thank you for trusting me and The Ring Finders to help find your lost treasures. Be safe and take care of each other.
Jim
I was in the middle of another ring search, and just about finished, when Josh called asking for help to find his Tungsten wedding band. I explained what I was doing, and that it’d be another 30 minutes before I finished. He said that was fine because he was waiting on a food delivery. I got his location, which happened to be on the west side of the Apache Pier, while I was on the east side. I finished up the search, called him, and told him I was heading down the beach towards his location. He said he’d start walking my way, and we could meet along the way.
After a short walk, we met and I got the details of how he lost his ring. He explained that he was playing with his son, jumping the waves, when he felt his ring come off. I ask him what time it happened, and he replied around 1 p.m. the day before. Perfect, that was right around high tide, and it was just coming into low tide. We walked down the beach a little more, and he said his wife was sitting right there in the soft sand. I turned my machine on, walked down towards the water, and BANG! I got a 17 on the VDI, so I was confident I had a tungsten ring under the coil. It took 3 scoops to get the ring out of the sand, but there it was. I walked over to Josh, asked him what his ring looked like as I held it up. He got excited and said “That’s it. That was less than 2 minutes.”
Josh – thanks for calling me, and I’m so happy I could help.
Jim
Jai called me about 7 p.m. on Thursday, 9 Jul, asking if I could help find a 22k Engagement ring that his fiancé, Sim had lost in the ocean. He said she lost it about 3:30 that afternoon. Looking at the tide table, she lost it 2 hours before low tide at 5:21 p.m. so searching for it now would be pointless. I did want to see what I was up against so I told Jai I’d be right over to scope things out.
When I got to the beach I met Jai and Sim, who were set up at the same spot they were when she lost the ring. Sim told me that her and her sister in law had been riding a float in the surf when a big wave hit them, knocking them off the float. She continued to tell me that when she finally got her balance she was about waist deep, which means she was still a ways out in the water. She remembered being pretty much straight out from where they were set up. Jai wasn’t on the beach at the time, but his brother in law was. I asked him what he remembered, and he stated Sim and his wife were about 50 yards further south. I thought I had all the information I needed, so I told Jai and Sim I’d be back the next morning at 5 a.m. to work the outgoing tide.
The next morning the conditions weren’t good, the wind was blowing from the east and the swells were at least 5 feet, and both were coming straight in to the beach. After about an hour and a half, getting beat up, and busting the shaft on my detector, I told Jai and Sim I’d be back that evening for the low tide and bring a friend. I called Matt Fry, TRF Myrtle beach, and he had his own search. So I called Jim Brouwer, and he jumped at the chance to help. When Jim and I showed up that afternoon, the conditions had gone from bad to worse. Big swells made the search almost impossible. If we did pick up a signal, the swells would knock us off it. Jim and I struggled for about an hour, during which time I had the chance to talk with Sim’s sister in law. She informed me that she thought they were even further south than her husband had thought. This search was starting to look very bleak for finding Sim’s engagement ring. I told Jai and Sim we were calling it a day, but I’d be back out during the week. Their expressions said it all.
I wasn’t able to search the next day, but looking at the Sunday morning tide, wind, and swell information, conditions looked good enough to give it another shot. I had decided I’d start a perpendicular grid search a little further south than Jai’s sister suggested and work north to where Sim thought she was. When I walked out on the beach, the swell information was higher than predicted, but I started the grid doing the best I could. On my 4th line, I got a solid 13/14, which is usually a pull tab, but could be a small gold ring, too. In this case it was a pull tab. I took a few more steps and got another 13/14, I dug the target, and looking for the pull tab in the scoop I see the glimmer of gold. BAM, I had Sim’s ring. I sent Jai and Sim a text at 6:27 a.m. saying “Good Morning you two!!! I just wanted to let know I came back out this morning to look for your ring and…..” Then I sent another text saying “Bingo” with 2 pictures, one of me holding the ring and another of the ring resting on a shell. At 10:05 a.m. I got a response from Jai and a phone call; I don’t think he could have been any happier. A little later Sim called me; she was so excited and grateful. She told me that she had given up hope of getting her ring back. So happy I could restore her hope!
Jai and Sim – Thank you for letting me help find your lost treasure.
Jim
I received a late night email from Kim saying that they were here on vacation with some friends and one of them, Tommy, had lost his wedding band. She asked if it was something I could possibly help with. I replied asking if he thinks he could put me in the right area and to give me a phone number and I’d call him this morning for the details. She wrote back saying she thought he could and gave me his number. I think she was emailing me while Tommy and his wife were searching for his ring in the dark.
I contacted Tommy at about 8:15 this morning, waking him up, and got the details and location. Told him I’d be there in about 20 minutes and was on my way. These were perfect conditions because it hadn’t gotten hot yet with a heat index over 100 and there shouldn’t be the big crowds to contend with.
When I arrived, I walked out on the beach and called him saying I was there. When we met, he was standing in an area of soft sand that was maybe 10ft X 10ft. He told me that he had handed his ring to his wife to hold while he put sun screen on himself and her. He wasn’t sure what happened after that, but at the end of the day, the ring couldn’t be found. I started a grid line and just as I started the 4th line, Boom, I got a solid 12 on the Equinox 800. I dug a small scoop of sand, checked the hole to make sure I had the ring, and dumped the sand. As I did, I saw the glistening of his white gold ring lying in the sand. I reached down, and picked it up with the scoop, shook the sand out, and walked over to where Tommy was standing. I stuck the scoop out for him to see his ring and then he reached in and plucked it out. Overjoyed was definitely an understatement in this case.
Kim, I didn’t get to meet you, but thank you for reaching out to me and putting me in touch with Tommy.
Tommy, thank you for trusting me to help find your lost treasure, and getting it back where it belongs. Have a great rest of your vacation.
Jim
