Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

ModernMiner

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2007
13,861
3,931
North Carolina
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5
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Detector(s) used
Minelab Manticore , Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Well folks, this is by far my best find so far. Yesterday, while hunting at the old farm with Ridley, I dug up this beautiful 18K White Gold and Diamond ring about 2" down.
It is a ladies ring with 7 diamonds (originally). Unfortunately, one small diamond is missing on the side, so there are only 6 right now. I dug up all the dirt in and around the hole, and brought it home with me. I will be sifting through that now to hopefully find the 7th diamond. The rind looks to be somewhat old and custom designed. Inside it is stamped "18K Jabel". I googled the name Jabel, and sure enough this company that was started in 1916 is still in business today! Here's the link: http://www.jabel.com/welcome.html
I will be contacting them to see if they can give me more info on the age of the ring & hopefully it's value. Ya-hoooooooooooooo!!!!!
This one really made my day. I actually beat Ridley to a ring!!! The funny thing is, I have been through this same part of the yard a few times before, and only found a few clad coins.
I use an older entry level Tesoro machine (two knobs & 1 toggle), and it never lets me down.
By the way, the headless toy soldier I dug up too yesterday.
Thanks for looking.
-MM-
P.S. Ridley tried to offer me his two Tootsietoys for the ring, but I told him it would take at least three. ;D
 

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Upvote 0

River Rat

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2006
20,846
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SE Louisiana
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

W :o W, that's a stunning find! Congrats, MM ;D

;) RR
 

TJPOPELKA

Jr. Member
Jul 31, 2006
76
1
Escanaba, Mi
Detector(s) used
White's XLT/Minelab E-Trac
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Just Fantastic!!!!!! That is what it is all about-what a thrill just to read-can't imagine how your heart felt (hope to one day though)! That find will be tough to beat-big congrats!!
 

Gribnitz

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2004
920
11
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

That's a beaut Miner! That place is producing well for you. Your going to be spoiled now. It is going to be hard to top an antique ring.
 

OP
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ModernMiner

ModernMiner

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2007
13,861
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North Carolina
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Minelab Manticore , Tesoro Silver uMax
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

TJPOPELKA said:
Just Fantastic!!!!!! That is what it is all about-what a thrill just to read-can't imagine how your heart felt (hope to one day though)! That find will be tough to beat-big congrats!!

Thanks. Hopefully the company that made it can give me more info on the ring.
So far, Ridley and I have found three old handmade silver bracelets, one 14k gold bracelet, and this 18K gold ring, plus a few old foreign coins from the 1930's. We're starting to think one of the kids got a hold of the parents valuables and took them outside to play with?
I plan on taking all these jewelry finds to an old jeweler here in Raleigh to see if he can figure out how old the pieces are.
-MM-
 

dr-quest

Sr. Member
Feb 25, 2007
369
66
Nova Scotia Canada
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Garret AT Gold, Whites XLT,Tesoro Stingray ll,Whites Surfmaster ll
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Beautiful antique ring ,good job.The style suggests late Edwardian - early Art Deco,If I had to pick a date I would say 1920.Sift the dirt for the other diamond :o just in case.
Good luck & GH 8)
 

C

Coincollector22

Guest
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Awesome find!!! That is a beautiful ring! WTG!
 

packerbacker

Gold Member
May 11, 2005
8,310
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Nice ring. I would guess one of the first that company made due to its design.
 

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ModernMiner

ModernMiner

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2007
13,861
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North Carolina
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Minelab Manticore , Tesoro Silver uMax
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

I called the company today that made the ring. It is Jabel (pronounced "jay-bell") in New Jersey, and they have been in business since 1916. The guy I spoke with has been with the company for many years, and said they actually still have pictures & drawings of their old "archive" jewelry. I e-mailed pictures to them, and am hoping to hear something back by tomorrow. I think the ring may be from the 1930's. A local jeweler I spoke with that sells Jabel jewelry told me that Jabel is top quality, and is the best of the best. He actually visited their location back in 1977. I'm hoping for good news now. ;D
I went back today to where I dug the ring out of, and pulled more dirt in hopes of finding the 1 missing side diamond. This will be my 2nd attempt at sifting through dirt to find it. The first sifting attempt only produced a few fishing worms for me. :P
I feel very lucky to have found this beautifully detailed ring. Especially before Ridley did!!! ;D
-MM-
 

DJ_Quinn

Bronze Member
Apr 25, 2005
1,253
40
Southeastern Ireland
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

ModernMiner said:
I called the company today that made the ring. It is Jabel (pronounced "jay-bell") in New Jersey, and they have been in business since 1916. The guy I spoke with has been with the company for many years, and said they actually still have pictures & drawings of their old "archive" jewelry. I e-mailed pictures to them, and am hoping to hear something back by tomorrow. I think the ring may be from the 1930's. A local jeweler I spoke with that sells Jabel jewelry told me that Jabel is top quality, and is the best of the best. He actually visited their location back in 1977. I'm hoping for good news now. ;D
I went back today to where I dug the ring out of, and pulled more dirt in hopes of finding the 1 missing side diamond. This will be my 2nd attempt at sifting through dirt to find it. The first sifting attempt only produced a few fishing worms for me. :P
I feel very lucky to have found this beautifully detailed ring. Especially before Ridley did!!! ;D
-MM-

Wow! That's great. It sounds very promising. I'm sure it's going to pay to have that diamond replaced. That art-decho design is going to be very desireable for people that collect vintage jewelry, and it's top quality. A very lucky find.
 

dr-quest

Sr. Member
Feb 25, 2007
369
66
Nova Scotia Canada
Detector(s) used
Garret AT Gold, Whites XLT,Tesoro Stingray ll,Whites Surfmaster ll
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Hey Miner
Just a thought, get a pail and take the surrounding dirt home.And in a fine sifter run water over it until all the dirt is gone.A small diamond like that can be covered in hard dirt and would appear to be a stone.Just a thought,I am rooting for yah.
Keep us posted
HH :P
 

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ModernMiner

ModernMiner

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Jan 9, 2007
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North Carolina
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Well, unfortunately after two attempts at pulling dirt from & around the hole, no 7th diamond to be found. :( It may have been long gone before I even found it?
I am taking it in to get it appraised, and will find out how much it will cost to replace that missing stone. After that, I'll have to decide what to do with it. I've been dreaming of a new detector, so I can give my current detector to my son. We'll see.
-MM-
 

dr-quest

Sr. Member
Feb 25, 2007
369
66
Nova Scotia Canada
Detector(s) used
Garret AT Gold, Whites XLT,Tesoro Stingray ll,Whites Surfmaster ll
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Miner make sure you take it to a goldsmith and not a jewellery store.My wife is a goldsmith and does repairs ,and I know the difference in price and knowledge.No need for a middleman.Hopefully if its an old cut diamond a long time goldsmith may have one to replace it.You may know all this already but I felt compelled to tell you.
Good luck & HH ;D
 

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ModernMiner

ModernMiner

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2007
13,861
3,931
North Carolina
🥇 Banner finds
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Minelab Manticore , Tesoro Silver uMax
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Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

dr-quest said:
Miner make sure you take it to a goldsmith and not a jewellery store.My wife is a goldsmith and does repairs ,and I know the difference in price and knowledge.No need for a middleman.Hopefully if its an old cut diamond a long time goldsmith may have one to replace it.You may know all this already but I felt compelled to tell you.
Good luck & HH ;D

No, I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip.
-MM-
 

STW

Jr. Member
Feb 23, 2007
30
0
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MXT-6000 di pro
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

great looking ring mm
 

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ModernMiner

ModernMiner

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2007
13,861
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North Carolina
🥇 Banner finds
5
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
Minelab Manticore , Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

I called Jabel last week, to see if he had anything on the ring he could send me from way back then.
The manager (Tom) was nice enough to send me a copy of the whole line of rings they offered back then. Mine was pictured in there, of course.
Next week I plan on getting an written appraisal on the ring, and will probably have the missing diamond replaced.
-MM-
 

E59

Sr. Member
Feb 28, 2005
454
7
On the river bank
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Re: Found an 18K diamond ring & lost my head!!!

Is the location you're searching a house that belonged to a wealthy or prominent family? Maybe they enjoyed hosting parties outside that included alot of drunkeness and the ladies lost their jewelry. I was wearing a solid gold watch and if fell off during and Easter egg hunt (no I wasn't running for eggs) and luckily everyone had a gold watch hunt-probably due to my crying-and it was found in a few minutes. The point is that ladies lose jewelry. The rings on the other hand are odd, mine would only be lost if I was mad and threw it. Anyway, what a find! Please let us all know if you put that beauty on ebay, I would definately like to help you get a new detector. ;D
 

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