Lost Jewelry – when panic turn into complacency…

[BVI Hunter]

OK, so I am sure a lots of us have had the situation where we have been asked to look for a lost ring or similar. Most usually at the beach.

I don't ask for a fee when this happens but would assume at least my gas is covered, or the few bucks it costs to fill my SCUBA tanks?

A few recent examples;

1) a panic stricken guy almost pulled me from the surf, to come up the beach and look for his ring. After a few minutes, once I was in the water and dedicated to the hunt, he announced he was "going back to the resort for breakfast" and if I found it, could I "get front desk to call him"... WTF?

2) a guys calls me from his rental villa, lost a wedding ring in the sea and was leaving that day (here on HONEYMOON!). no luck that day so I said I would return with SCUBA.
Every day I then wake to at least two emails asking for updates and if it was found.
After three attempts (3 afternoons of my days off, 3 now empty scuba tanks) I found it.
He gets me to drop it to the villa manager who will send it on. Guess what........ have not heard from him since!!!


What's your experience and feeling about this type of thing? I love returning stuff but sometimes the recipients attitude sucks!

 

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[CASPER-2]

You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life.

 

[BVI Hunter]

You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life.

Lennon and McCartney?

 

[sponge]

That would piss me off too. That freakin momo should have compicated you. So did you go and look at your treasure and forget about it?

sent from a sending device.

 

[ron lord]

I have had people say they have lost stuff in the water ,but are not willing to show me where they have lost it ,these people are most of the time are just busting your Balls. If they are not willing to show you ,I won't look for it. I own a detector service. I charge $40 to look, this pay for my batteries and Gas and a recovery fee, in which I leave up to the customer .

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

I gave this a like as I go to the beach to escape from daily pressures , not to play bird dog and retrieve lost items, for those
who can afford to stay and dine where I can not on my retirement, nor have ever been able to. Usually having lost what they lost as a
result of carelessness or drunkenness. I simply do not get that warm fuzzy feeling returning a ring and later finding out it has been insured without
any thanks for returning it from the looser. If such a looser can can afford to stay and eat where they do, at the very least they surely should at least be able to compensate me for my time and expenses. As an analogy, If I lost a ring in a sink and had to call a plumber, I seriously doubt that any plumber or drain service would travel to my house and pull the trap to retrieve that ring for free.


Don't get me wrong, I do help out someone who really needs help and simply cannot afford that help.
Such as looking for a family heirloom, which cannot be replaced, or for a couple who have stretched themselves
beyond their means for that very special occasion. I also like to help servicemen and women, as well as first responders, in appreciation
for their service.

Usually such exceptions are few and far between, as it has been my experience that those who can least afford it are usually the most generous.

I have had people say they have lost stuff in the water ,but are not willing to show me where they have lost it ,these people are most of the time are just busting your Balls. If they are not willing to show you ,I won't look for it. I own a detector service. I charge $40 to look, this pay for my batteries and Gas and a recovery fee, in which I leave up to the customer .

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

You are assuming that the good side and dark side of the force are balanced.
Their are times/periods where all their is bad, worse, or worst
And that is also a fact of life, at least in my situation.

Sometimes, the only choice you have is to leave.
in search of times/periods of good, betta, and mo betta (which I have yet to experience).

Or at least find a level playing field.
Simply put, only in the movies does a one legged rooster have much chance of winning in a cock fight.

You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life.

 

[davest]

Lennon and McCartney?

the Partridge Family

 

[Sandman]

I do this hobby for pleasure, an while at the beach if someone asks me to find their lost item I get a good description before I start and I give them my card with instructions to call me and leave their number as I might not find it that day. If I find it they get it back. However you have to be the judge if they are for real and not some smart azz wanting to pull the wool over the nerd. If I get a call to find a lost item I ask it's value and tell them my fee is 10% if I find it and $50 bucks in advance for 3 hours search. If they agree to that after I have the info where I was told it was lost I'll start looking. I usually only charge the fifty an many times I only kept ten for gas & batteries. You'd be surprised how many just want to watch the nerd look for the Rolex for the heck of it. It must be great fun....
This way I usually get to search private beaches too, places I normally would have a hard time getting into during daylight. I have a solo canoe for hitting private freshwater beaches but this year its harder to get in and out of. Oh the sadness of old age.

 

[TallTom]

In general, I've found that people who lost wedding rings are very good about
offering a reward after a successful find. Like Sandman, I've learned to get a
good description of the ring before I start looking, including any inscription.
If the ring I find doesn't match their description, I won't give it to them.
It's not theirs! If they can't provide details, it's usually clear quickly that
they are just trying to get me to find a free gold ring for them. I politely
decline, or else I joke back to them that "I'll mail it to you" as I walk away.

However, I've found that people who lost cell phones or keys are not nearly
as quick to give a reward. Some do, but many have just said, "Thanks!"
(and some didn't even do that) and then took off for their car or whatever.

I've also found that the length of time they've been looking for the lost object
seems to be a factor, as well as the amount of time it takes me to find it.
If they only lost it five minutes before asking me, and then I find it in a minute
or two, they don't seem to value my services much. If they have searched for
hours, it doesn't matter how quickly I found it. I'm a miracle worker!

 

[BVI Hunter]

In general, I've found that people who lost wedding rings are very good about
offering a reward after a successful find. Like Sandman, I've learned to get a
good description of the ring before I start looking, including any inscription.
If the ring I find doesn't match their description, I won't give it to them.
It's not theirs! If they can't provide details, it's usually clear quickly that
they are just trying to get me to find a free gold ring for them. I politely
decline, or else I joke back to them that "I'll mail it to you" as I walk away.

However, I've found that people who lost cell phones or keys are not nearly
as quick to give a reward. Some do, but many have just said, "Thanks!"
(and some didn't even do that) and then took off for their car or whatever.

I've also found that the length of time they've been looking for the lost object
seems to be a factor, as well as the amount of time it takes me to find it.
If they only lost it five minutes before asking me, and then I find it in a minute
or two, they don't seem to value my services much. If they have searched for
hours, it doesn't matter how quickly I found it. I'm a miracle worker!

Ditto to all of that

 

[WaterWalker]

I am still waiting on a Thank You Note from the person I sent my first ring return off to. That was 25 or so years ago.
I almost gave up returning items when a person that lived 3 miles from me failed to show up to pick up his high school ring that his son had worn and lost. I still have his ring and waiting for him to come and get it. BUT, if I had given up returning items, over 150 owner would not have their ring back. Probably 3-5% will not send a Thank You Note, and that is ALL I ask for. I do accept a personal gift...a home made candy dish, a beach towel, a picture a personalized gift card for coffee, a bag of fresh picked apples...are some of my favorite gifts given to me. $$ is nice, but it would not change my life style, I am retired and can afford the few buck for gas and time spent. It all helps in the enjoyment of my hobby.

 

[OBN]

BVI Hunter
OK, so I am sure a lots of us have had the situation where we have been asked to look for a lost ring or similar. Most usually at the beach.

One of my favorite saying of a friend of mine who hunts in a distant land, Which sometimes I feel like saying..........



AD

** WELL MATEY IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE *PIRATES* YOU SEE, AND *PIRATES*ARE NOT PART OF THE LOST AND FOUND DEPT**

 

[sponge]

One of my favorite saying of a friend of mine who hunts in a distant land, Which sometimes I feel like saying..........

AD

** WELL MATEY IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE *PIRATES* YOU SEE, AND *PIRATES*ARE NOT PART OF THE LOST AND FOUND DEPT**

Yarrrrr

sent from a sending device.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

For me, posts such as this are a treasure as they are based on years of experience.
I find the more detailed information especially helpful as such guidance is easy to follow and use.
I especially like the last paragraph as it contains the key(s) on how to get to hunt the more difficult to detect places.

On the last sentence " Oh the sadness of old age', I would like to add two of my favorite saying.
The first is from Bernard Shaw being " Youth is wasted on the Young".
The second is German, IIRC ,"Too soon We get Old", "Too late We get smart".

The latter statement is especially true in my case as I am relatively new to metal detecting, though I have
treasure hunted for decades:

I do this hobby for pleasure, an while at the beach if someone asks me to find their lost item I get a good description before I start and I give them my card with instructions to call me and leave their number as I might not find it that day. if I find it they get it back. However you have to be the judge if they are for real and not some smart azz wanting to pull the wool over the nerd. If I get a call to find a lost item I ask it's value and tell them my fee is 10% if I find it and $50 bucks in advance for 3 hours search. If they agree to that after I have the info where I was told it was lost I'll start looking. I usually only charge the fifty an many times I only kept ten for gas & batteries. You'd be surprised how many just want to watch the nerd look for the Rolex for the heck of it. It must be great fun....
This way I usually get to search private beached too, places I normally would have a hard time getting into during daylight. I have a solo canoe for hitting private freshwater beaches but this year its harder to get in and out of. Oh the sadness of old age.

 

[BVI Hunter]

I am still waiting on a Thank You Note from the person I sent my first ring return off to. That was 25 or so years ago.
I almost gave up returning items when a person that lived 3 miles from me failed to show up to pick up his high school ring that his son had worn and lost. I still have his ring and waiting for him to come and get it. BUT, if I had given up returning items, over 150 owner would not have their ring back. Probably 3-5% will not send a Thank You Note, and that is ALL I ask for. I do accept a personal gift...a home made candy dish, a beach towel, a picture a personalized gift card for coffee, a bag of fresh picked apples...are some of my favorite gifts given to me. $$ is nice, but it would not change my life style, I am retired and can afford the few buck for gas and time spent. It all helps in the enjoyment of my hobby.

I agree, cash, gifts, a handshake or a man hug, does not matter but JUST SOMETHING to show appreciation!

 

[Jackalope]

I've been asked to hunt for lost jewelry on the beach, but I'm now of the disposition that I'll do it as my schedule allows. Rather than helping right away, I think it better just to have them write a description of the lost item, show me where they might have lost it, and provide contact info. No discussion of fees or rewards needed. I'll look for it another time or day - not while they're relaxing on the beach watching a spectacle of some detectorist hunting all over for the supposed lost item like a monkey with a football. I don't like being on display and certainly not interested in being a sideshow for other people's entertainment.

I can hunt for the lost jewelry after they're gone - the pressure is off and detecting returns to its solitary nature. If I find their ring - fine, but it is in the course of general detecting across the area.

When (or if) you do find their lost item, then contact them and see if they offer an unsolicited reward. If they don't - you can ask for your actual costs to be reimbursed (after all, you have their ring as a hostage.) If they care about their jewelry they can afford postage costs - else you keep it.

In this way, you help them without getting entangled in rewards, or wandering all about as the woman points to different locations - where you've inadvertently enrolled as their good-Samaritan man-servant - you'll know it because of that uneasy feeling you have at being used, feelings of wasting your time and being imposed upon, or anger at being possibly duped.

I think this method is more than equitable and is a win-win for everybody.

Jackalope

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

I've had 4 returns, 2 of which I was asked to hunt for.

of those I wasn't asked to hunt for:-one was a small dog that was tangled up in the woods where I was hunting and would have been coyote bait if he didn't die of dehydration. the (libtard, per her bumper stickers) elderly owner gave me a curt 'thank you' like it was my pleasure to serve her.

-one was a purse stuffed full of gift and reward cards I found a foot deep 40-50yds off shore in 4' of water. lady was appropriately appreciative and offered a reward which I declined.

of those I have been asked to hunt:
-one was a golden AF ROTC medallion that I found after a few hours. the owner was a student and I got a heartfelt Thanks and the OK to hunt the campus that I had previously been told I couldn't hunt.

-the other find was the one that makes me keep on hunting things for people. it was my first return and the lady had been crying for something like 12 hours over her lost diamond wedding/engagement ring. she wouldn't even leave the house to meet me when I arrived. found it in 5 minutes and of course she broke down again when she saw the ring. they just kept on offering money until I finally told them that if they felt that they absolutely MUST pay something, to just make a donation to their favorite dog charity (they had a dog and I am a dog person). that finally placated them and I left with a promise that if they ever bought some old historic house, that they'd contact me and I could hunt it.

-yesterday I went to the local university to hunt a lost sterling ring with great sentimental value to the student. I met her mother and hunted a small area where she was certain that she had lost it, but found nothing (70some cents in surface change excluded- MD isn't allowed on campus w/out PD permission for specific lost items). on the way back to our cars, my conversation with the mother turned to the subject of who went to school when and it seems that she was married to a friend that was a teaching assistant along with me at this college over 30 years ago. so even tho I didn't find her ring, I found an old friend.


I hunt and return for free (actually I require a pic of the item + owner) because I enjoy it,
I am retired and can afford it,
and I am playing for that feeling that I had when I found the crying lady's wedding ring.

I don't begrudge anyone who hunts for a fee- situations are different for everyone. And I wont hunt for some Ahat.

 

[MiamiFox]

I haven't been asked to hunt for lost items yet but this is all great advise

 

[meMiner]

This is a good topic.

I am very wary of resort staff or locals who claim to have lost jewelry. Typically, they know of a lost item from a prior week and where the people searched. They are hoping to get some bling for their own pocket. I have found keys twice that staff dropped in the sand and both times got a thank you. It saved them from getting in trouble with their boss and I never expected more.

On the other hand, I have been told about something that was lost and never recovered plus the general area. They always rewarded them for the info if it turned out to help me.


Another time, I was called to scuba for a lost Rolex. The deal was he would pay for my air and mileage plus a small bonus if I found it. It was late in the fall and I was frozen after two tanks of air, but no Rolex. It was a nasty dive because the bottom was muck and visibility was near zero. Only afterwards did I learn that they had two others out the prior week, plus the Rolex was some kind of $40K custom diamond number (which I believe because he was a household name). Wanna bet that the prior person found it and kept it?

Bottom line for me now - if somebody loses something and asks for help and can narrow down the area to search, I will give them 5-10 minutes of my time with no expectation of a reward other than a thank you. Otherwise, after trying for that short period of time, I say "sorry about your luck" and get out of the immediate area and go about my business.