Ooops…Those three words every couple dreads to hear are “lost wedding ring”. The symbol of your union, of your vows, and of your commitments to one another. It can be an upsetting time if you lose a wedding ring, particularly if it holds sentimental value. It’s bad enough to simply have to replace a ring but with one passed down through generations that’s simply not possible.
So, what do you do if you’ve lost your wedding ring? Well, to start with, follow this checklist IMMEDIATELY, or carry on reading.
Steps to finding a lost wedding ring
Have no fear, Story Amour is here! In this article, we’re going to be looking at how common it is to lose a wedding ring, what to do in the event it happens, tell you how to find your ring, and let you know the best way to break this news to your significant other.
So, whilst it might seem like a lost wedding ring is the end of the world it needn’t be that way. It’s worth remembering that your marriage is the thing that bonds you with your partner, not just your wedding rings. And yes, we get it, it can be distressing and financially problematic but as long as you stay strong for one another you’re going to get through this!
Let’s take a look at this subject in more detail and get you reunited with that precious reminder of your special day.
Is it common to lose a wedding ring?
Unfortunately losing a wedding ring goes with the territory of being married. No, it won’t happen to everyone.
However, picture this, you get married at 25 and stay with your partner well into your 90s. That’s 65 years, that’s 23725 days for crying out loud. Of course, there’s the possibility that your ring may slip off in all that time.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common ways a lost wedding ring occurs. Hopefully, this will help you to avoid losing yours in the first place.
Accidents do happen
Accidental ring slippage is one of the most common ways a ring can go missing. If your hands get wet, greasy, or soapy that marital band can go missing and you’ll be none the wiser. It can fall down the waste disposal or simply fall off in a field and you’ll have no idea where it is.
Sports
Are you a regular in the gym or enjoy playing sports in general? Well, if you wear your wedding ring there is definitely a possibility that it could perform a disappearing act. Whilst you might notice it falling off on the tennis court you may have less idea if you’re running on a treadmill or swimming. Our suggestion is to tape the ring while playing sports or remove it altogether.
Wrong size ring
It’s so important to make sure your ring fits you correctly to begin with. If you gain or lose weight you should also think about getting it resized so that it stays firmly in position. This will be one of the number one factors why a ring will slip and go missing.
Removal of your ring
As we’ve already touched on for sports it may be necessary to remove your ring. However, this doesn’t come without its downside. The more you remove your ring the more possibility it has of going missing. You may misplace it or take it off, and forget to put it back on.
Incorrectly storing
You may have a routine of taking your ring off every night before bed. However, perhaps something’s upsetting your routine or you’re in an unfamiliar location. Perhaps you’ve had one too many at the bar. If your typical storage place isn’t used a ring could easily go missing. You might find it days later down the side of the sofa or in your coat pocket but you could really do without the hassle, couldn’t you?
Travel
Travel throws your routine out the window and then some. You’ll find yourself in unfamiliar settings on the regular. At the same time, you’ll have airport security to contend with as well as things like swimming in the sea and applying sun lotion. All these things put your wedding ring at risk of getting lost.
Thieves
We hate to say it but theft or burglary is up there as a reason you might have a lost wedding ring. After all, a wedding ring isn’t a cheap bit of kit. If you bought the wedding ring you’ll know this first hand! We don’t want to scare you but a lost wedding ring could be the result of a home invasion but equally an opportunistic thief. So always be careful about flashing your bling too enthusiastically if you can avoid it.
Checklist of things to do if you’ve lost a wedding ring
Is it too late? Do you already have a lost wedding ring? Well, we’ve got some advice and tips for you on the best way to handle this awful situation.
Try to remain calm
As hard as it may sound it’s important to try and be as calm as possible. Rushing around won’t allow you to think straight and you might miss obvious clues as to where your ring is hiding out. Breathe deeply and attempt to compose yourself. This way you’ll have a greater possibility of locating your precious ring.
Remember when you last had it
Yeh ok as if it’s that easy! However, bear with us for a second. Try to think about the last memory you have of having your ring on. That might be as far back as the day before doing the washing up. This gives you a base to work from. It might help jog your memory about removing it for anything you did that day.
Retrace your steps
Cover the same ground you did the day before. Perhaps you watched TV, did the ironing, went to the gym, went out for dinner. Whatever you did, retrace those steps and something might turn up. Try to think about things you did that day that might have caused your ring to slip off your finger.
Look absolutely everywhere!
Once you’ve done the above steps and not found your ring it’s time to turn the house upside down. I once did this while looking for my car keys only to find them in the kangaroo pocket of my hoody. I’d put a coat over the top and then spent 1-2 hours searching the entire house. So yeah, look in the kangaroo pocket of your hoody first! If your family knows your ring is missing, enlist them to help you. Multiple eyes on the job should help you find it faster.
The flashlight technique
Using a flashlight can be a great aid in spotting your ring as it will bounce light back at you. This can be particularly useful for dimly lit rooms or if you’ve lost your ring in the evening. Get low to the ground and shine your flashlight all around. You could even make rooms intentionally dark if it’s daytime as it’ll highlight the ring more when the light is shone on it.
Contact shops you may have been in
Did you go for a coffee and haven’t seen your ring since? Or tried on some clothes at the mall? Give them a ring or pop in and see them to check whether or not they’ve had anything handed in to lost and found. Give them information about your ring and your contact information. Explain how it means the world to you. This information will be vital in getting your ring back to you should it show up.
Use social media
There are lots of social media groups for lost wedding rings that can help reunite them with their owners. At the same time, you could also put up your own social media post. Friends and family will be able to see this and it’ll just increase the number of eyes paying attention to any rings they see within the community.
Contact the pros
Speaking with professionals that work with jewelry can be a great method of getting your ring back. Show them images of your wedding band and give them a detailed description. Pawn brokers for example can then keep an eye out if someone comes into their shop attempting to sell them your wedding ring.
Ask friends if they noticed it was missing
You should speak to your close friends particularly if you’ve spent time with them recently. They may be able to tell you whether or not they noticed you were wearing your wedding ring. Equally, they can help you to search for it and spread the word.
Involve the community
Try to involve the local community in the search for your lost wedding ring. You could do this by simply speaking to people and explaining the situation. Or you could use social media as we’ve already mentioned. Local communities are usually good at coming together in situations like these. They can imagine themselves in the same position and are more than happy to help in the search.
Hand out flyers offering a reward
This goes hand in hand with involving the local community. You can hand out flyers or attach flyers to lamp posts. Include your contact details as well as images of the ring. You could even go as far as to offer a reward if you think it’ll help with your ring’s safe return. Of course, you can’t account for people that may find your ring and try to sell it. Luckily though, if you’ve followed our recommendations you’ll have also already talked to local pawn shops about such a possibility.
Use a metal detector
If you know that you last had your wedding ring at the beach or in a field it could be worth trying a metal detector. This can help you to pinpoint the exact location of your ring and hopefully reunite you in the process. If you don’t fancy purchasing or hiring a metal detector yourself you could always hire a professional who might be able to locate your ring much quicker. The Ring Finders for example has the tagline “You lost it, we’ll find it”. They claim to have reunited 10,757 rings with their owners at the time of writing with a value equalling $12 million dollars.
Use your insurance
If you simply can’t find your ring then it might be time to dig out that insurance policy. You’ll of course need to check the particulars and make sure you’re covered for losing your ring in the way you did. Hopefully, if there is nothing untoward about your claim you should be compensated. This will enable you to fund the purchase of a new ring or get one tattooed so you never lose it again haha!
Police report for a lost ring
Think someone stole your ring? Then really, you need to report this to the police. This will also help with your insurance claim as it will be an official record of the event. Not only that but the more information the police have about your ring the more likely they are to notice it in other investigations. This may enable them to safely reunite you with your lost wedding ring weeks, months, or even years down the line.
How to find a stolen wedding ring
If you’ve realized that your lost wedding ring is in fact stolen this can be heartbreaking and feel like a real invasion of your privacy. Having someone’s grubby hands all over your precious wedding ring is not a nice thought at all.
There are two obvious ways that a thief may try and sell your ring. You can easily check these to see if anything turns up.
Craigslist/Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist are obvious places where a thief may try to move your ring on. It opens them up to lots of potential buyers looking for a bargain piece of jewelry.
However, it also means you can search and discover your own ring for sale. If you do stumble upon someone attempting to sell your ring, contact the police. It’s particularly helpful if your lost wedding ring was inscribed or has easily identifiable features.
Hopefully, the police take your claim seriously and you’re reunited with your ring as quickly as possible.
Pawn shops
We’ve already touched on the subject but a thief may also risk selling your ring to a pawn shop. Speak with the owners in your local area giving them detailed descriptions and photos of your wedding band.
You could ask them to buy the ring from the thief and you’ll reimburse them or alternatively, you could get the police involved again. It all depends if you want your ring back at all costs or can afford to play more of a long game.
How to break the news to your significant other
It’s never a good idea to keep secrets in a marriage and losing a wedding ring is no different. It’s a pretty big deal! And may have financial implications for you both.
As with all things in a marriage, a problem shared is a problem halved. Hopefully, your partner will be supportive in your attempts to reunite you with your precious jewelry.
If you’re 100% convinced you’ve lost your ring and there’s no way of it returning you need to tell them. There may be a temptation to go out and purchase the exact same ring. However, do you really want to keep that secret for the remainder of your married life?
Try to choose a time when you are both in a relaxed frame of mind. Equally, make sure you have no other plans that night, you don’t want to be going out for a meal with family with this hanging over you.
You should try to remain calm as you tell them as well as outline some of the things you have and will do to try and locate the ring. This should soften the blow somewhat and show them that you’ve taken evasive action.
Of course, the ideal situation is you break the news “Babe, I’ve lost my wedding ring” your partner pauses “Oh yeah, it’s in the glove box of the car, don’t you remember taking it off for the gym?”
If that fairytale ending doesn’t happen though, reassure your partner and emphasize that your marriage is much more important than the jewelry that signifies it. You can then talk about options to replace it or think of another unique way to symbolize your marriage.
What to do if you never find your missing ring
It’s time to face reality, you just may never find your lost wedding ring. Whilst that can be hard to hear there are some things you can do once you accept that it’s not coming back.
Contact your jeweler
Speak with the jeweler that you used for your wedding ring. They’ll know the exact model, sizing, and inscriptions you had on your old ring. This will help them to recreate it to the exact specifications.
This way you’ll hopefully grow to love this ring in the same way you did with your old one. This will inevitably cost you but at least at the end of the day, you’ll have something to once again adorn the fourth finger of your left hand.
Replace
Alternatively, you could go for something completely different. This could help you better justify the costs of funding a whole new ring.
You may think that you’ll never love this ring in the same way but it will grow on you in time. You’ll come to realize that it is just a symbol of the bond between the two of you. What you have together is way more important than a piece of metal.
How to cope with a lost wedding ring
A lost wedding ring can certainly take a toll emotionally. Both on the person who lost the ring, their partner, and even family members if it was passed down through generations.
Whilst nothing will ever bring back your precious ring it’s worth remembering that the ring is only a symbol. It does not define a marriage.
Here are some of our top tips for coping with a lost wedding ring.
- It’s important to surround yourself with people that understand your pain and will empathize with you.
- Cry if you have to. Let that emotion out and lean on your partner for support at this difficult time.
- Talk about your feelings and don’t bottle them up; this will only make it worse.
- Try to remember that your love and commitment are more than just a ring. You made promises to one another that go much deeper than jewelry.
Closing thoughts
We aren’t going to sugarcoat it, a lost wedding ring SUCKS!
However, we hope that by reading our article you’ve found some practical solutions should you ever be put in this horrendous situation.
At the same time, we hope you understand that whilst the pain may seem unbearable it definitely gets easier with time. You should focus on the fact that a ring doesn’t define your marriage and love for one another, it’s just a symbol for all those things.
It’s important to stay as calm as possible as keeping a level head will help you to best locate a lost ring. Equally, having more eyes on the job should make recovery much more likely. So don’t be afraid to ask for help!
