My wedding ring

[Kevin]

Sweetie and I got married back in 1996 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. We went to buy wedding rings and when we walked in, some guy was picking gold pieces out of the dirt of smashed flower pot.

He covered it up very quickly when he saw me looking. I’m sure they smuggled the gold in from Turkey or somewhere else.

So we bought two rings, I would guess both together were only a couple hundred, not more than $300 for both.

And I also have sweetie’s grandpa’s gold pinkie ring. At least it fits my pinkie perfectly, I don’t know how he wore it, or if he did.

I wish I knew the story behind it. He was a pretty nice guy. And to this day one of my favorite times in Bulgaria was staying up late with him and my wife and drinking brandy. He told us old stories and we sang old Russian drinking songs.

Anyway, together at today’s gold prices both together are almost 1/2 an ounce!

I don’t think my wife would like it if I melted down my wedding ring. I just told my daughter that if she gets married she can melt it down to make a couple wedding rings.

Here is the pinkie ring. I actually really like it, but sadly never wear it.

Her grandpa had more class than I do, his ring is nice! Mine is just a simple wedding band.

 

[eveled]

That is a great story and a beautiful ring. Here is my Dad’s ring. He said it was his bail money.

 

[Kevin]

That is a great story and a beautiful ring. Here is my Dad’s ring. He said it was his bail money. View attachment 93552

Looks like he could get a pretty big bail with that ring! Very nice.

 

[s4s4u]

All I see is creepy body hair close-ups....with some bling

 

[txramfan]

My wedding ring has been in a bay in Hawaii since a few days after getting married. My wife insisted I wear it, even though it was too large. We went swimming and it slipped off.

 

[GasGuzzler]

My mom's ring has a sapphire because the loose diamond that was going in the setting was stolen from their apartment by a neighbor before it was put in the ring. My Dad 's ring was stolen from him while in the hospital, likely by an emplyee. He wears his Dad's. I never take mine off but it's not my original. The one I got in 1997 is two tone 18K and too soft to wear at work so we got an all yellow gold 10K I have worn 100% of the time since 2001. The two tone ring is locked away. My wife wears her original set ... it's three rings and lots of diamonds. Took me four years to pay for it and it's probably worth $15K now but I didn't pay near that for it back in '96.

 

[sfhogman]

For everyday use my wife and I have
matching King Will tungsten carbide rings laser engraved with the Greek Key, in honor of my wife's Greek heritage. Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest compounds known and are essentially unscratchable, except with a diamond. They look great all the time.

$22.99 At Amazon.

 

[Fox Mike]

My first band is somewhere in the sand at the lake in our community. Took it off so it wouldn't slip off while swimming. Laid it on a towel. Someone picked up the towel and watched the ring arch through the air. We have dug, shifted, and used a metal detector and never found it.

 

[Kevin]

I took my wedding ring off when I started cooking school, it’s safe in a box in a drawer. And after 29 years I feel I’ve gained the privilege of not wearing a wedding ring.

My wife took hers off a few years ago. But it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

 

[contender]

As a long time metal detectorist, I can say that I have heard many stories of lost rings. Honorable detectorists try to find the rightful owner when we can. I have been fortunate in that I have found and returned 11 wedding rings over the years.
I often tell people that they should have their drivers license and state engraved on the inside of the rings. That way we can get them returned.
My treasure club has been active in many returns. Class rings are usually easier to find the owners.

But I have also found several rings and jewelry that I could not find the rightful owners.

Gold and silver prices are making more people want to buy a metal detector.

 

[Jakeintexas]

I was teaching in the sim (aircraft) and heard a bit of a clunk. One of the trainees stopped the sim and said he was playing with his wedding ring and it slipped off. Naturally it fell in the slot between the rudder pedals which wasn’t that large and went to points unknown.

The sim was nowhere near where he lived and he was TDY there. Not a real good place to lose a wedding ring especially since his wife was far away.

Fortunately for him, after we completed the sim I told the maintenance folks and they actually found it in the compartment below. It not only surprised me they could get in there but also could actually find the thing.

I hope he learned a lesson.

 

[Kevin]

As a long time metal detectorist, I can say that I have heard many stories of lost rings. Honorable detectorists try to find the rightful owner when we can. I have been fortunate in that I have found and returned 11 wedding rings over the years.
I often tell people that they should have their drivers license and state engraved on the inside of the rings. That way we can get them returned.
My treasure club has been active in many returns. Class rings are usually easier to find the owners.

But I have also found several rings and jewelry that I could not find the rightful owners.

Gold and silver prices are making more people want to buy a metal detector.

Contender, you should be thanked for returning 11 rings. Thats great!

As far as getting a metal detector because of the rising prices of gold and silver, where does one go to find rules about when and where? For example, can you go to the local public school yard? What about public parks?

I don’t think you can just use them anywhere, can you?

 

[DGW1949]

From the FWIW Dept:
Most of the "gold" jewelry that has been made over the last several decades is made of 14K gold, which is only 58% pure. There could be a small amount of silver mixed in but more than likely, the remaining 42% will be copper and nickel.
Not saying that to hurt anyone's feelings, just passing on information that some folks might not know, that's all.

DGW

 

[GasGuzzler]

I have a metal detector and played with it for five minutes in the yard but got bored and hung it up. Never tried it again. My dad uses his to find my brass. My class ring from high school was lost in a rent car on a plane trip to Seattle. Lost it before I graduated.

 

[peachhead]

My dad uses his to find my brass.

That's a good idea. I've always kind of wanted a metal detector.
My wedding band is platinum but I don't wear it because it's too big now.

 

[eveled]

If I wear one at all it is a $10 one that is designed to shatter if it gets caught on something.

 

[Mobuck]

I've never had or worn a wedding ring mostly for safety reasons.

 

[RoninPA]

I've never had or worn a wedding ring mostly for safety reasons.

Same with me, Got married when I graduated from my USAF Technical School and when we got to our first duty station (Kincheloe AFB, MI - Just south of Sault Ste. Marie, MI) it came off becuse I worked in, around, with electronics equipment. Wife had no problems with me doing that. 26 years later, when I retired, I put it back on, fit me just like it did the first time. I will take it off at times though when I'm working with and/or around certain equipment.

 

[vito]

I still wear the simple gold (14k) band that I was married in, and that was just a few months short of 60 years ago. I did take it off and leave it with my wife when I went to Vietnam back in 1970, but other than that year I have always worn it. I'm not into jewelry and in fact do not really understand the fascination and enjoyment that some people need to get from jewelry, but this simple wedding band has become part of my life. I will leave it home when I go in for knee surgery in about 10 days from now.

 

[Fox Mike]

From the FWIW Dept:
Most of the "gold" jewelry that has been made over the last several decades is made of 14K gold, which is only 58% pure. There could be a small amount of silver mixed in but more than likely, the remaining 42% will be copper and nickel.
Not saying that to hurt anyone's feelings, just passing on information that some folks might not know, that's all.

DGW

Mine was hand made in the 1970"s..

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Im still on wife #1, but have been through several wedding rings. My first one was a little but too big and I hadn't had it sized yet; it is somewhere in the Buffalo River in Tennessee, victim of a canoe capsize. Then I went through two inexpensive sterling silver and turquiose or coral bands, working construction at the time they both eventually succumbed to harsh work and chemicals. Ring #4 was a plain white gold band my wife gave me on anniversary # 30, and I wore it every day until also losing it recently. I have no idea when, where, or how it came off. Not even sure how long it had been missing before I noticed it. Maybe Ill just do like my son did and get a wedding band tattoo...

Edit: I just went out to the barn to get a flat-point shovel to scrape some snow and ice off the deck and steps - grabbed the shovel, grabbed a pair of gloves that were laying on the workbench. Put gloves on, something hard in this one - my wedding band.

 

[Richbaker]

My mom's ring has a sapphire because the loose diamond that was going in the setting was stolen from their apartment by a neighbor before it was put in the ring. My Dad 's ring was stolen from him while in the hospital, likely by an emplyee. He wears his Dad's. I never take mine off but it's not my original. The one I got in 1997 is two tone 18K and too soft to wear at work so we got an all yellow gold 10K I have worn 100% of the time since 2001. The two tone ring is locked away. My wife wears her original set ... it's three rings and lots of diamonds. Took me four years to pay for it and it's probably worth $15K now but I didn't pay near that for it back in '96.

I hope you take it off before sticking you're hand in somewhere. I got a serious burn wearing a ring. Was using a filter wrench on a BMW 2002 to loosen the oil filter and the wrench handle contacted the positive post on the starter.... Got HOT fast. Burn went all the way around my finger...

 

[turd]

I will leave it home when I go in for knee surgery in about 10 days from now.

Thread drift, but good luck with your knee surgery Vito.

 

[Kevin]

Im still on wife #1, but have been through several wedding rings. My first one was a little but too big and I hadn't had it sized yet; it is somewhere in the Buffalo River in Tennessee, victim of a canoe capsize. Then I went through two inexpensive sterling silver and turquiose or coral bands, working construction at the time they both eventually succumbed to harsh work and chemicals. Ring #4 was a plain white gold band my wife gave me on anniversary # 30, and I wore it every day until also losing it recently. I have no idea when, where, or how it came off. Not even sure how long it had been missing before I noticed it. Maybe Ill just do like my son did and get a wedding band tattoo...

Edit: I just went out to the barn to get a flat-point shovel to scrape some snow and ice off the deck and steps - grabbed the shovel, grabbed a pair of gloves that were laying on the workbench. Put gloves on, something hard in this one - my wedding band.

And that is just great! I bet you and wife #1 are happy!

 

[WAYNO]

I have worn my original ring for nearly 55 years. And it's been upsized many times.
In the trades, I would take the ring off and leave it it my locker. Sometimes I would skip periods of wear for extended periods, and it seems every time I went to wear it, I had to get it sized bigger. Pulling channel locks and wrenches for decades, my fingers have become huge.

My ring is again too small, so I bought some silicone rings. For me, and for folks in the trades or even medical professions, (that's where I learned about them), this is a decent interim choice for me.

 

[sfhogman]

I have worn my original ring for nearly 55 years. And it's been upsized many times.
In the trades, I would take the ring off and leave it it my locker. Sometimes I would skip periods of wear for extended periods, and it seems every time I went to wear it, I had to get it sized bigger. Pulling channel locks and wrenches for decades, my fingers have become huge.

My ring is again too small, so I bought some silicone rings. For me, and for folks in the trades or even medical professions, (that's where I learned about them), this is a decent interim choice for me.

View attachment 93601

My son wears one at work. I would have done the same had I known about them.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I tried silicone, it was a no-go.

 

[WAYNO]

I tried silicone, it was a no-go.

Why? folks might like to know why they're not a good choice for everybody...

 

[GasGuzzler]

After wearing a metal ring 24/7 for 25 years, the pliable rubber ring was too much to fidget with and too loose.

 

[eveled]

The silicone one gave me the heeby jeebies. Just felt weird.