Jordan Richards was smiling ear-to-ear when a professional treasure hunter returned his wedding band last Thursday, which the newlywed lost in Surrey only 26 hours after he tied the knot.

Richards told Peace Arch B次元官网网址 he lost his wedding band on the 6100-block of 136 Street while removing items from a vehicle.

His father and grandfather spent hours searching for the ring, using a Tiger Torch to melt away the snow and even rented a metal detector.

As a last ditch effort, they contacted White RockB次元官网网址檚 Chris Turner, founder of , which is a directory of treasure hunters in the Lower Mainland and beyond.

Turner, who films all of his finds, was able to dig the ring out of the slush within a matter of minutes.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 believe it,B次元官网网址� Richards told Turner Thursday as his ring was returned. B次元官网网址淚t means the world.B次元官网网址�

The ring, which was in good condition minus a few chips, was sitting on the side of the road for 18 hours before it was returned. Turner believes the ring may have been struck by a vehicle, thatB次元官网网址檚 why the Richards family wasnB次元官网网址檛 able to locate it.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 no longer a bad legend in the family. I was getting roasted pretty hard,B次元官网网址� Richards told PAN.

Richards said it must have slipped off his finger while he was pulling his hand out of his pocket.

B次元官网网址淛ust incredible,B次元官网网址� Richards said to Turner. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 believe you found itB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 going to make for a funny story now.B次元官网网址�

Turner has recovered more than 500 rings since he turned his metal-detecting hobby into a business.

His passion for metal detecting began in 1972, when he read about the hobby in a Field and Stream magazine.

B次元官网网址淚 got a job all summer at a chicken farm B次元官网网址� I think I was 12 B次元官网网址� I worked all summer and got my first metal detector and IB次元官网网址檝e been hooked ever since,B次元官网网址� Turner told PAN.

Shortly after purchasing the metal detector at age 12, Turner returned a ring to his neighbour, who lost it 10 years earlier in her garden.

B次元官网网址淚 found it. I got apple pie for a year at my door. Just the look on her faceB次元官网网址� here I am 12 years old, not realizing that thereB次元官网网址檚 a business there.B次元官网网址�

Turner kept the hobby, but set it aside while pursing a career in the film industry and played professional soccer until 1984.

He realized the business potential for his hobby while living in Los Angeles in 1986.

B次元官网网址淓very morning I would get up early and search the beaches,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that one time, a guy ran up to him, yelling in a panic.

B次元官网网址淗e said his wife lost her engagement ring, and they had been there since 11 p.m. using flashlights,B次元官网网址� Turner said.

B次元官网网址淚 walked up there and found it in minutes. The look on that guys face was priceless. She was crying and his wallet came out and he gave me everything in it. I looked at him and said B次元官网网址業 donB次元官网网址檛 want your money,B次元官网网址� and he said B次元官网网址榶ouB次元官网网址檙e taking it.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Turner continued the hobby in Cancun, and when he moved back to Canada in 1995 he began to focus on how he could turn his hobby into a business.

He was contacted by an angel investor, who helped him launch The Ring Finders, which is a directory that lists more than 430 B次元官网网址榬ing findersB次元官网网址� across the globe.

Each ring finder posts a photo of the recovered ring and a photograph of its rightful owner. To date, more than 5,111 recoveries have been recorded, an estimated $7.5 million worth of jewelry returned.

But not all ventures are successful.

Turner, who only accepts payment if he finds the lost item, has spent days B次元官网网址� unsuccessfully B次元官网网址� searching for a ring.

B次元官网网址淚f I donB次元官网网址檛 find it, I donB次元官网网址檛 get paid. IB次元官网网址檓 a fanatic. When I know thereB次元官网网址檚 a ring, IB次元官网网址檒l do everything I can. You would not believe how many times I look at them and say your ring is not here, start looking somewhere else.B次元官网网址�

His process begins with detective work, Turner asks numerous questions in hopes of revealing a clue about where the ring was lost.

One of the biggest challenges, Turner said, is that people think they lose rings when and where they notice them missing.

B次元官网网址淏each people, if theyB次元官网网址檙e swimming and their ring is gone, they associate the loss right where theyB次元官网网址檙e standing. I get there and itB次元官网网址檚 not there. They wonder why I canB次元官网网址檛 find it, and itB次元官网网址檚 only because itB次元官网网址檚 not there. Association of loss could put you a half a mile away, or could put you three hours of searching away. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why I ask the questions,B次元官网网址� Turner said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a lot like being a detective, and itB次元官网网址檚 fun. I like the challenge. The beautiful thing about this service is the stories that are attached to peopleB次元官网网址檚 ring.B次元官网网址�

Turner said heB次元官网网址檚 been called to recover rings that were in the range of $65,000 to a silver wedding band. But each time, the reaction is similar.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not the price-tag that gives the rings its value, Turner said itB次元官网网址檚 the sentimental attachment that makes the rings irreplaceable.

In 2010, Turner said he was asked to go to Canmore to help an Australian man recover three rings for his girlfriend.

The Australian and his girlfriend were road-tripping through Canada, near Canmore, when they pulled off to the side of the road to take a photo of the mountains. Before exiting the vehicle, the woman took off five rings and put them in the pouch in her sweater.

It wasnB次元官网网址檛 until the flight back to Australia that she had noticed the rings were gone, and she had a good idea of where she might have lost them.

Turner said the Australian flew back to Canada and retraced their steps using photographs they took along the way. The Australian found the approximate area of where the rings were lost, and spent two days digging with a fork B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渋f you can believe itB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and was able to recover two rings.

The following year, the Australian contacted Turner and the two made an arrangement to meet in the area to find the missing three rings.

As Turner was driving up to the location, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 looking promising, he told PAN, adding that road crews had been digging up the side of the road, but stopped just before where the rings were lost.

After a grid-search of the area, Turner was able to find the remaining three rings an entire year after they were lost. The couple eventually got married.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a true love story.B次元官网网址�

But not all cases end with a happy result. With a growing number of metal detector enthusiasts searching public areas like beaches, finding a ring has become a time sensitive task.

B次元官网网址淚f itB次元官网网址檚 lost on a private property, itB次元官网网址檚 still there,B次元官网网址� Turner told PAN. B次元官网网址淚f itB次元官网网址檚 lost on a beach, you need to get on it right away.B次元官网网址�

Although the challenge of the hunt lures Turner to the job, itB次元官网网址檚 the reaction of people B次元官网网址� and giving them a second chance at finding their sentimental item B次元官网网址� that makes it his passion.

On his YouTube channel, Turner edited together an eight-minute video that shows reactions of his customers as they learn he found their ring.

Their unfiltered reactions B次元官网网址� sometimes accompanied with tears of joy B次元官网网址� never get old, B次元官网网址淚 love it,B次元官网网址� he said.

Although successful at returning numerous high-value rings, thereB次元官网网址檚 only one find that truly stole his heart.

B次元官网网址淢y wife is the most valuable thing I found.B次元官网网址�