Brent and Sylvie assisted Pedro and Martyna Majchrzak in finding an engagement ring the couple lost while celebrating the
one-year anniversary of their engagement at Anaehoomalu Bay.
Photo courtesy Big Island Metal Detecting/
Special to West Hawaii Today
tuesday, september 8, 2015 | west hawaii today
8A
— two on Maui and two on
Oahu — are listed in the com-
pany’s Hawaii directory. A sim-
ilar network,
net, has six Hawaii-based vol-
unteer members.
Brent says there’s a lot of
trust involved in hiring some-
one to find valuable jewelry.
“Our clients are trusting us to
not go there and take it and
keep it. Our reputation is most
important in everything that we
do. The last ring we found two
weeks ago was worth $13,000.
If we find it, we return it.”
“Every single time we’ve
done a recovery, the people
always come with us. We reas-
sure them. We pick up trash
and quarters. We let them see
everything that comes out,”
added Sylvie.
Last month, the Madisons
assisted Pedro and Martyna
Majchrzak in finding an
engagement ring the cou-
ple lost while celebrating the
one year anniversary of their
engagement at Anaehoomalu
Bay. The diamond ring fell off
a hat that Martyna had placed
it on to take a photo and was
swept away by a wave. After
spending the evening search-
ing, as well as in tears, the cou-
ple called the Big Island Metal
Detectors.
After arriving at the South
Kohala beach, Brent located
the ring within 10 seconds. The
couple rejoiced in the find, with
Martyna telling the Madisons
that she “would have spent the
next four days here — the rest
of my vacation” searching for it.
Also during August, the
couple helped another visit-
ing family locate two rings —
including a 2.75-carat diamond
ring — lost in the water at
Keokea Beach Park in North
Kohala. Within an hour, the
company located the first dia-
mond channel ring and then
the larger diamond ring.
A video shared by Big Island
Metal Detecting shows the
family’s reaction as Brent locat-
ed the rings in about 3 feet of
water.
“Oh my God, praise the Lord,
praise the Lord,” the woman,
identified as Avesta, exclaims
before hugging Brent and
Sylvie.
Big Island Metal Detecting,
like many others who list ser-
vices on sites such as The Ring
Finders, works on a reward
basis.
“It’s such a charge to find the
owner,” said Chris Turner of
Vancouver, B.C., and founder of
The Ring Finders (
ingfinders.com). “Ninety-seven
percent of our directory works
on a reward basis. We ask that
clients cover our expenses and
then pay us what they think is
fair only when the item is found
… I once got a homemade loaf
of banana bread and I’ve gotten
to go to places like the Rocky
Mountains to find rings.”
For some with a lost ring, it
can be tempting to rent a metal
detector and try the search
themselves. Brent cautions
against that, however.
“Minerals in the salt and in
volcanic rock here in Hawaii
can throw off a lot of the detec-
tors. Most detectors in a certain
dollar range, when they come
in contact with the water are
instantly destroyed. And, as
clean as our Hawaiian beaches
are, there’s still a lot of trash —
once you’ve done this for awhile
you can tell by the sounds, ‘pick
this up, don’t pick this up,’” he
explained.
Of course, “The best thing is
not to lose your ring in the first
place,” said Sylvie.
“If you buy a piece of jewel-
ry that is very expensive, take
pictures and have it inscribed,”
added Brent.
In addition to finding ser-
vices, other online companies
such as
offer some preventive security
by issuing registered identifi-
cation numbers. The owners
engrave the number on their
jewelry, which makes them eas-
ier to return if lost.
“We always check inscriptions
on jewelry we find hunting,”
said Brent. “We Google inscrip-
tions, and have Facebooked
rings. We absolutely try to find
the owners. We would want
someone to return our things.”
DETECTORS:
Big Island Metal Detecting, works on a reward basis
continued from page 1a
If you are unlucky
enough to lose
your ring, here are
some tips from the
Madisons that could
increase the likelihood
that it will be found:
1. Immediately stop
and make mental
coordinates
of your
surroundings. Line
up your location
with trees or
other identifiable
landmarks on
the shoreline.
2. Do a quick search
and record
identifiable
features of the
area that you
searched.
3. Note the date,
time and the tide.
This will help
when you return
to the search area.
“If they lost it on
the beach, half
the time they
are playing ball
and just put on
sunscreen,” said
Sylvie, “If they
can figure out
whether its high
or low tide, we
can more easily
figure out where
on the beach they
might have been
and triangulate
where they might
have lost it.”
4. Contact a profes
-
sional who can
help with your
search through
an online compa
-
ny like The Ring
Finders, www.
lostmyring.com or
the Madisons who
can be reached
at 430-5660 or
by email to info@
bigislandmetal
-
detecting.com.
Hundreds of rings are lost at beaches in Hawaii each year
.
Laura Shimabuku/
West Hawaii Today
Brent Madison, of Big Island Metal Detecting, searches for an
engagement ring Pedro and Martyna Majchrzak lost at Anaehoomalu Bay.
Photo courtesy Big Island Metal Detecting/
Special to West Hawaii Today
Brent Madison, of Big Island Metal Detecting, searches for a pair of rings
lost at Keokea Beach Park in August.
Photo courtesy Big Island Metal Detecting/
Special to West Hawaii Today
