A lost engagement ring isn’t just another mishap. It’s a real gut-blow and can be genuinely heartbreaking. Not only has a precious piece of jewellery gone AWOL, but a symbol of your love, devotion, and care for one another is now missing from your life. However, as devastating as it is, rule number one is (and we know it’s hard!) try not to panic.
There are things you can do to track it down – engagement rings have a habit of turning up again, sometimes even years later. We’ve all heard the stories of someone who, while digging in their garden, unearthed their engagement ring they lost ten years previously. So before you resign yourself to buying a replacement and making an insurance claim, let’s go through the steps you can take to try and track down that errant treasure.
In this blog, we’ll take you through some of the things you can do to try and hunt down your lost engagement ring, from the initial steps to more in-depth investigations, including tools that can help, how to come to terms with your loss, and how to claim on your insurance. We’ll also provide you with a few tips to prevent it from happening again!
Don’t Panic!
When realisation hits you and you shout, “I lost my engagement ring!”, your first feeling is pure panic. But don’t be too hard on yourself – losing an engagement ring doesn’t make you a bad person or mean that your relationship is doomed. It’s just one of those things – an accident that can and does happen far more often than you think. It’s estimated that between 30 and 40% of men and women report losing a precious piece of jewellery, including wedding bands and engagement rings, so you’re in good company!
Take a moment, then start planning your search
Once the initial shock and panic have settled down, it’s time to start searching. Ask yourself where the most likely place your engagement ring could have been lost and begin there. Disorganised house wrecking, including ripping up floorboards and turning over sofas, is not the best way to hunt for your ring. In fact, the best thing to do straight away is stop, sit down, grab a pen and paper and note down your movements starting from the last time you remember seeing your ring.
That could include whether you were gardening, if you went shopping and which shops you visited, if you cleaned the car, or if you were wearing the ring when doing the washing up. If you’re on holiday, trace your steps as carefully as you can. Make sure the list is methodical and you don’t miss anything out, from taking a shower to going to the beach.
Now, you can search for your ring systematically. But don’t do it alone: if you can, enlist a little help from family and friends. Not only do more ‘eyes on’ make it easier to spot, but they may be thinking a little more clearly than you, as all that’s going through your mind right now is ‘I lost my engagement ring’.
Check camera footage
If you’re staying in a hotel and think you may have lost your ring at a shop or restaurant, or if you have home security cameras, check the footage or ask the shop or restaurant to review their CCTV footage. While it may be difficult to spot if you’re wearing the ring or not in any footage, it can serve as a memory prompt and fill in any gaps you might have in your timeline. It can also encourage others to keep a lookout for your lost engagement ring and prompt anyone who may have found it to return it to you.
At work
How you look for your lost engagement ring at work will depend on the type of job you do. In an office, you can systematically search all areas you visit, including restrooms, canteens, outdoor spaces, and storage areas.
In the garden
Many misplaced engagement rings end up in flower beds, between the slats in potting sheds, or in a garden shed. If you think you lost your ring in the garden, the same principle applies as if you lost it in the home – take your time and search methodically. Remember that if it’s only just happened, there’s a good chance it’ll be on the surface. But if you think the ring was lost a few days ago, you may need to use your fingertips to search a little deeper down.
Down the drain
Soapy water can cause even the best-fitting engagement ring to become loose. Our top tip is always to remove your rings before scrubbing pans. But if you’ve forgotten and your ring has slipped down the drain with the dish water, don’t panic. The most likely place it’ll be sitting is in the trap or U-bend under the sink. However, unless you’re a professional, it’s best to call a qualified plumber rather than attempting to remove the U-bend yourself and potentially flooding the kitchen.
At the swimming pool
Another common place for engagement rings to get lost is at the swimming pool. With powerful filters at the bottom of the pool, a ring that slips off your finger can easily end up in one of the pool’s filters. If you believe this is where your precious ring has ended up, please notify management immediately. Pool filters are regularly cleaned out, so they’ll be able to check the next time it’s cleaned and let you know. Remember to give them a description (or even better, a photo) of the ring so they know what to look for.
Let the police know
If you suspect that your ring has been stolen, especially if there is video evidence to support this, you should report it to the police. You will also need this if you want to make a claim for theft of your ring, rather than accidental loss.
Tools to help you find your ring
A powerful torch – If you’re searching indoors for a lost engagement ring, don’t rely on the ambient lighting to help you see. Fire up the most powerful torch you have so you can inspect hard-to-see spots, such as under the sofa, behind a cabinet, or under the bed.
A metal detector – If you think you’ve lost your ring in the garden or at the beach, a metal detector could help you locate it. They’re inexpensive and can be easily obtained throughnext-day delivery services.
Ring-finding services – Lost rings are so common that there are even organisations that specialise in finding them, with some even offering a free service (with just a small donation to a charity). They have the equipment (such as far more powerful metal detectors) and the experience in searching for lost rings and are well worth contacting, whether you’ve lost your ring on holiday or at home.
Family and friends – It’s embarrassing tell your family and friends you lost your ring, but they’ll understand you’re upset and will do everything they can to help you find it. Ask them to look in places you’ve been recently, such as their homes or gardens. Widening the search increases your chances of finding your ring.
When to accept the ring is gone
Sadly, not every lost engagement ring will return to its owner, and sometimes you have to accept that the ring is gone. It’s upsetting, but it’s not the end of the world. Even a family heirloom can be replaced with a new ring, continuing the story and even adding to the romance.
If you’ve searched for several days and still haven’t found your ring, it’s time to consider alternatives. If you have engagement ring insurance, you should have already contacted your insurer and filed a claim within 24 hours of the ring going missing. If you are lucky enough to find the ring again, you can easily cancel your claim without worrying about fees or increased premiums. However, if the ring is still missing, you can now push forward with a claim and soften some of the financial impact.
If theft is the cause of a lost engagement ring, remember that the police report will have to be submitted to your insurance company, along with details of the ring such as its value, the composition of the ring (the stones and metal used) and purchase receipts if it was bought especially, or details of the provenance and a jeweller’s valuation of the ring if it’s an heirloom.
How your claim proceeds will depend on whether it’s covered by bespoke engagement ring insurance or is included in your home contents cover. Home insurance generally only covers individual items up to a certain value. If your engagement ring’s value exceeds that maximum amount, you won’t get the full cost of the ring back. If you’ve chosen to take out bespoke ring insurance, then the price of the ring should be covered in full, minus any excess fees.
Replacing a lost ring
When it comes to replacing a lost engagement ring, there are two main options. You can replace the ring with a new and different style, have a replica of your old ring made, or choose a completely new bespoke design. If the loss of your original ring has really upset you, having a new design made can represent a clean break with a painful memory and the start of a new chapter. However, if the ring is an heirloom with significant meaning to you and your family, having a duplicate made can ensure that the story continues.
The choice is ultimately yours. Some rings may be very difficult to replicate due to the use of rare or unusual stones or heritage cuts that are no longer available. Cost may also be a factor, and will depend on whether you can afford a bespoke ring or have to choose an ‘off the peg’ design and have it altered to fit.
Stopping it from happening again
Losing a treasured possession is our worst nightmare. The best thing to do is to prevent it from happening, so you don’t lose your ring again. Here are our top tips:
• Take your ring off – The easiest way to avoid losing it is to remove your engagement ring when gardening, washing dishes, showering, or playing sports. Keep it in a box or soft bag and pop it somewhere safe.
• Wear gardening gloves – If you have green fingers but a propensity for losing your rings, a pair of gardening gloves will help keep them safe when you’re mulching the roses.
• Fit a sink trap – To stop your precious engagement ring disappearing down the sink, fit a sink trap that prevents any large items, including rings, from getting washed away.
• Make sure your ring fits – A loose ring is just waiting to slip off your finger at the first opportunity. Make sure your ring fits properly. A professional goldsmith should be able to adjust it to fit.
• Look out for damage – If there’s any damage, you’re at risk of losing a valuable stone. If you spot any damage, get it repaired as quickly as possible to stabilise the settings and protect the integrity of the gemstones.
• Insure your ring – A lost engagement ring can be an expensive thing to replace. While it’ll never compensate you for the emotional loss, engagement ring insurance can help soften the financial blow if you lose your ring and have to replace it.
Insure your ring with TH March
Trusted by our customers since 1887, TH March specialises in insurance for precious items such as rings. Our ring insurance provides worldwide cover against loss, damage, and theft, with competitive premiums and a bespoke service tailored to your specific needs. We won’t charge you any excess in the event of a claim, and we can organise repairs and replacements through your jeweller of choice – a vital service if your engagement ring is a custom-made design.
With free, instant online quotes available and a team that cares as much about your precious jewellery as you do, TH March personal ring insurance gives you total peace of mind. So if you do ever have to say, ‘ I lost my engagement ring!’, we’re here to help you with the next chapter of your life journey. Contact us today or use our online ‘Get a Quote’ function.