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Wedding Ring Recovered from Candlewick Lake, IL

  • from Lake Geneva (Wisconsin, United States)
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July 4th Paddleboard Mishap

July 4th, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.  For many Americans that day, it was a day of gathering with friends and family.  A day off work.  A day to reflect and to relax.  To eat good food, paddleboard and… lose your wedding ring?  Jack’s Independence Day was memorable in more ways than one.  

Jack was paddleboarding. For many paddleboarders, the transition from knees to standing can be a struggle.  And like many paddleboarders, Jack’s paddleboarding turned to swimming, and in the process, his wedding ring slipped off his finger.  

The proverbial needle in a haystack pales in comparison to the task of finding Jack’s lost wedding ring in Candlewick Lake near Poplar Grove, IL.  Established in the early ‘70s, Candlewick Lake is a 210-acre lake in Boone County, IL.  Like many manmade lakes, it is generally shallow, has low to no visibility, and has a significant layer of mud at the bottom.  This makes these lakes especially difficult to search.

I met with Jack on July 7th.  After talking with him, I set out to search a rather large area.  Metal detecting is a game of inches.  One inch off while scanning an area could mean going home empty-handed.  It’s not always easy to pinpoint where you fell off a paddleboard 30+ feet from the shoreline.  And in the moment, most people are not thinking about a diver with a metal detector searching for the ring days later.

 I started my grid search, going back and forth, popping up every few feet to make sure I was staying on course.  Jack was helpful from the dock, directing me when I strayed.  There were lots of targets, so I had to sift through the mud for pennies, fishing lures, sinkers, pipes, etc.  I even found a fishing pole, but no ring.  Each time I turned around to start a new path, I watched the sun descend toward the horizon, and I knew I might just run out of time.  

I swam back to the dock and asked Jack to get into a kayak.  Could he put himself in the spot where he remembered falling in?  Once in position, I started scanning in concentric circles around his held position.  It wasn’t long before I hit a good signal, and after sifting through the muck, I felt the shape I had been hoping for.  I surfaced and swam over to Jack.  There was the smile I had been searching for nearly two hours.  His ring was found.

If you or someone you know has lost a phone, ring, or other jewelry item, please call.  The smiles I enjoy when returning lost items are one of the best parts of what I do.

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Wedding Ring Recovered from Geneva Lake

  • from Lake Geneva (Wisconsin, United States)
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Through a Crack in the Pier

I met Bob on Friday, July 17th, 2026, to look for his lost wedding ring.  Earlier that week, while Bob was visiting family near Lake Geneva, WI, he took a walk down to the pier.  For reasons I fail to recall, he took off his ring to keep it safe, and somewhere between leaving his finger and setting it on a table, it found its way between the boards of the pier and into Geneva Lake.

Before donning my diving gear, I listened to his story, and together we assessed which section of boards the ring most likely fell through.  To aid me while under the pier, I found a washcloth among some cleaning supplies that I fed down through the boards, held above with the leg of a chair. Once under the pier, I could look for the washcloth to pinpoint the search location.

The pier was expansive and stretched far out into the lake, making the dive deeper than I normally have to go.  My breathing device only gives me ten feet of diving depth, but once I got to the search zone, I was able to reach the bottom.

What first struck me were the dozens of fish under this pier. 

A fisherman’s paradise.  All kinds, sizes, swimming near and far.  The larger ones were not used to a human-sized fish in their territory and (thankfully) kept their distance.  I guess I wouldn’t be alone for this search.

The bottom was free of seaweed and had a hard-packed gravel bottom.  This was great news and made for a quick search.  I dug a few targets, just to make sure I wouldn’t miss the ring, and within about 30 minutes I had the ring snug on my finger.  

When I surfaced, Bob was up at the house having dinner with his family.  I texted him, “I think I have something that belongs on your finger.”

In a few minutes, I could see Bob’s eager smile from a distance, and I was so pleased to return it where it belonged.

If you or someone you know has lost a phone, ring, or other jewelry item, please call.  The smiles I enjoy when returning lost items are one of the best parts of what I do.

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Ring Lost at Ocean Beach found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)
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Amanda and Dan were spending the day at Ocean Beach. Amanda took off her 5 ring and placed them in some clothing for safe keeping. Her husband Dan later picked up that clothing and the rings flew off into the dry sand. They managed to find 4 of the rings, but, the fifth eluded their best efforts, which included using various sifters. When I got the call, we arranged to meet there at the site. Parking was virtually non-existent, forcing me to park over a mile away. I finally made it there and got the story of how it was lost and the recovery efforts used. I could see a 4 foot square area where they dug, sifted, and recovered the other 4 rings. I started gridding over that area, and just outside the area they had sifted, I got the sound and target I.D. I was looking for. A pleasure to meet you two, and thank you for the reward.

 

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iPhone Recovered from Lake Mary in Twin Lakes, WI

  • from Lake Geneva (Wisconsin, United States)
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iPhone Recovered… and Dry

Mike called me on Friday, August 7, 2026, hoping my skills might be helpful in recovering his lost iPhone from Lake Mary in Twin Lakes, WI.  Helping navigate a boat to the docking station with the light from his phone the night before, a mishap landed it in the water.  Would I be able to find it still dry and working?  Modern iPhones like the iPhone 17 carry an IP68 rating, allowing it to be submerged about 19.6 feet for up to 30 minutes.  The conditions in Lake Mary were less than six feet, but by the time I was able to arrive on Friday, it would be close to the 24-hour mark.  I was anxious to get in the water and see if I could find his phone.

Mike was unable to meet me, but his friend Mark met me and walked me through the situation.  I was relieved to find Lake Mary shallow, seaweed-free, and with some visibility.  I started a grid search from one end of the pier back to the docking station:  20 feet one direction, 20 back, repeat.  The area did not have an overwhelming number of metal targets, but I dug each sound I heard, making sure I didn’t miss the phone.  It might be hidden by the 1-2 inches of silt covering the bottom, I thought.

My horizontal grid search did not reveal the phone, and after about an hour underwater, I was concerned the encroaching darkness of the already cloudy day might end my search.  I switched to the vertical lines of my grid, and pushed deeper into the lake than I had with my horizontal grid.  About 18 minutes later, a simultaneous sound and sight brought an underwater cheer that only I heard.  There it was, screen down on top of the silt, the green rectangular case clearly visible.  It was lost in a depth of about five feet.

I stood up and looked toward the house.  A group of friends was gathered for dinner, and I could hear music.  I held the phone high into the air and waited to see if anyone noticed.  A chorus of cheers sounded.  “He found it!” one voice called out.

Not knowing if the iPhone might malfunction if I tried turning it on, I decided to let Mike take the next steps.  I left the phone with Mark and headed home.  

The next morning, I received the text I was hoping for.  A photo of Mike with a dry and working phone.  His text said, “We are alive and working perfectly.  Another successful mission!”

If you or someone you know has lost a phone, ring, or other jewelry item, please call.  The smiles I enjoy when returning lost items are one of the best parts of what I do.

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Wedding is Still On, Engagement Ring Found and Returned – Yarmouth, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 4, 2026

Victoria was enjoying the warm sand and gentle sea breeze at Parker’s River Beach in South Yarmouth about 1PM when she took her engagement ring off and put it into her beach bag for safe keeping. At home a frantic search for the ring took place with no ring to be found. Conclusion: It must be on the beach as it was not at home, in the car or any other place that was searched.

Back at the beach Victoria’s brother called me and asked for help in locating the ring. Sure, and I was on my 4 mile trip to the beach and quickly started searching. Just a few minutes later I walked to Victoria as to ask her a question, not in a way that anyone would think that I had found the ring and it was in my scoop. I asked Victoria a simple question, did she see anything in the scoop. She saw the ring, reached into the scoop, took the ring from my scoop and tried to make an announcement that the ring had been found. It took a bit to vocalize that the ring had been found. But I knew that most everyone had the suspicion that the ring had been returned by Victoria’s physical response of a huge hug I had been given not a verbal announcement. Everyone on the beach then knew the news and filled the air with congratulatory remarks.

Nephew Colin got into the picture while holding the ring on his shoulder. The a photo of a very happy time on Cape Cod and plans for the wedding next year is of Robert and Victoria. As always a few stories of other returns, handing out of my information card and I was on my way home. Everything had been accomplished within a half an hour and I was super-satisfied that I had made another couple very happy and ready to enjoy more wonderful days on “Vacation Land” and on the sandy beaches of Cape Cod.

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Cape May, NJ Gold ring lost in ocean, FOUND! By Jeffrey Laag of Ring Finders Cape May

  • from Cape May (New Jersey, United States)
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Lost a ring in Cape May?

Dont wait, Call NOW!

609-780-4525

www.ringfinderscapemay.com

Gold ring lost in ocean, FOUND! Cape May, NJ By Jeffrey Laag

I received a call from Cathy last evening. Cathy explained that she was swimming in the ocean with her family when her ring slipped off of her finger and disappeared into the chest deep surf. After gathering some location specifics and checking the tide charts, I decided to search for the ring at tonight’s low tide. The surf was pretty sporty this evening, but I began working my search patterns as accurately as possible. After about 45 minutes of searching my detector emitted a distinct low growl. After sifting several scoops of sand, Cathy’s ring appeared in the bottom my scoop. I gave Cathy the good news via text and she and her husband come down and retrieved their ring. Another happy couple another successful recovery!

Cathy’s Review: “Lost my wedding band in the surf at Grant Beach in Cape May and thought it was gone forever! Was told about Ring Finders…learned how time and tides work against them when they search… so I called Jeff that same afternoon. I didn’t know help was available! With as much information as I could give him, he worked the place I lost it twice during ebbing tides the next day. He found the ring buried under a foot of sand with waves crashing around him, and beachgoers applauding him. I was amazed, grateful, and happy to have had this turn out this way. Thank you, Ring Finders!”

If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t give up hope! Lost items can be recovered when action is taken quickly, Ring Finders Cape May specializes in lost ring recovery, using top of the line metal detecting equipment, in Cape May County NJ and is operated by a born and raised life long, local, year-round, resident of Cape May. If you need a ring finder in Wildwood Crest, Cape May, North Wildwood, Avalon, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle City, or Ocean City NJ, Professional help from Ring Finders Cape May is only a phone call away!

#ringfinderscapemay #theringfindersnewjersey #lostring #ringfinder #capemaynewjersey #metaldetector #lostringonbeach #metaldetecting
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LOST LARGE GOLD NUGGET RING IN CHARLOTTE, NC…FOUND!!!

  • from Raleigh (North Carolina, United States)
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Another successful ring recovery in the books!!!

I received a call from this gentleman that he had lost is big gold ring in a sticker bush while tossing something over the fence at his storage unit. He tired to find it himself and was unable to get past the thorns.

I told him I would be there right after work today. Made the drive over and within 5 mins found his gold ring on the ground under the bush and mixed with some dead thorn leaves from the bush.

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Total ring recoveries since joining “The Ring Finders” 121 total!

Ring count for 2026: 117 (26 – recoveries/1 – return)

GOLD – 30(21 – recoveries/1 – return)
GOLD/STAINLESS – 1
PLATNIUM – 4 (4-recoveries)
SILVER – 26
TUNGSTEN – 4 (1-recovery)
TITANIUM – 1
JUNK – 47
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“DIG IT ALL, SAVE SOME RINGS, BURY THE DRAMA!”

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Huge Gold Class Ring Lost, Recovered and Returned in Rehoboth Beach, DE!!!

  • from Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, United States)
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As a Ring Finder for 10 years now I have come to love the thrill of being able to return precious, sentimental, sometimes valuable keepsakes to folks who thought they were lost forever! This past Saturday in Rehoboth Beach, DE I found just such a precious, sentimental keepsake! It was a Gold Class of 1962 Kings College (Wilkes Barre, PA) class ring! 1962….This ring was in the possession of someone for 64 years!!! I felt obligated and excited about the challenge of finding its owner. There were clearly engraved initials on the inside: H.F.M. I first posted a picture of the ring in the local Lewes/Rehoboth Facebook Group. Countless people contributed to ideas and strategies to track down the ring’s owner! Fellow Kings College graduates crawled out of the woodwork and put me in touch with the alumni office….Then a 1960 graduate of Kings College found those initials in a 1962 yearbook….Hugh F Mundy. Sadly, Mr Mundy passed away in 2023…what a great man. Decorated war hero and a respected and accomplished PA state judge. His obituary listed his wife and children’s names and a simple google search allowed me to track them down. It turns out Mr Mundy’s daughter, Maura, a fellow Kings College grad, had been wearing his ring every day since his passing.  Maura was devastated when the ring slipped off her finger in the waves at Rehoboth Beach Friday…she assumed the ring was gone forever. I was so happy to get in touch with Maura and her mother and be able to return this ring that was beyond precious to them!

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LOST HUGE GOLD RING IN POND NEAR MAXTON, NC….FOUND!!

  • from Raleigh (North Carolina, United States)
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Received a call from this gentleman last night about him losing a big gold ring!

Story goes, he was fishing at a highway pond/revisor and when he casted, the ring flew off and into about 2-2.5 feet of water but got swallowed up by the sandy bottom. He and his buddy jumped in trying to find it with no luck and Brian said he would find someone with equipment to come find it. He searched via ChatGPT and it told him to go to Gold Finders where he found me!

We agreed to meet up today after I got off work.

Drove down, met him at the spot, jumped in the water and scanned around. Found three cans then BOOM his big gold ring!

HE WAS SO EXCITED!! He took to IG and recorded a video of me in the water, full gear and his ring!

Love theringfinders.com page and helping folks get their priceless items back!!

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Total ring recoveries since joining “The Ring Finders” 120 total!

Ring count for 2026: 106 (24 – recoveries/1 – return)

GOLD – 27 (19 – recoveries/1 – return)
GOLD/STAINLESS – 1
PLATNIUM – 4 (4-recoveries)
SILVER – 24
TUNGSTEN – 4 (1-recovery)
TITANIUM – 1
JUNK – 41
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“DIG IT ALL, SAVE SOME RINGS, BURY THE DRAMA!”

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LOST GOLD WEDDING RING AT WHITE LAKE, NC….FOUND!!!

  • from Raleigh (North Carolina, United States)
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After finding the tungsten ring near Wilkesboro I received a call from the mom of this young man that he had lost his gold wedding ring at White Lake! I said I’ll be there in 3.5 hours!

Story goes he was running to catch a football and it fell off while running to catch it. He lost the ring before he caught the football. They searched and searched for hours with no luck.

I arrive at 8:00 pm, we walk to the spot and within 20-30 mins I had found his ring.

As I’ve stated, I’ll travel anywhere to help someone find their priceless items.

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Total ring recoveries since joining “The Ring Finders” 119 total!

Ring count for 2026: 96 (23 – recoveries/1 – return)

GOLD – 25 (18 – recoveries/1 – return)
GOLD/STAINLESS – 1
PLATNIUM – 4 (4-recoveries)
SILVER – 21
TUNGSTEN – 4 (1-recovery)
JUNK – 37
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“DIG IT ALL, SAVE SOME RINGS, BURY THE DRAMA!”

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