Laura Schoichet

Stories

• Ring Recovery on Stinson Beach

  August 24, 2026

  This ring was found all thanks to GPS and some photos on the beach. I was contacted after a man lost his wedding ring on the beach. Usually when this happens, the search area is very large (it’s not always easy to know exactly where you were and memories can be deceptive). As a metal detectorist, I do my best to find lost items before they are swallowed by high tides, so I have to narrow down the search as much as possible. I always ask my search clients if they took photos on their beach day, and fortunately they did! Not only would I be able to use the photo to match up the background and determine where they were sitting, their phone also recorded their GPS coordinates. After a quick 30-minute search and lining up my vision with the background of their beach photos, I had his 14K gold wedding band back above the sand. It’s just a matter of digging – not only into the sand, but into the details! I use every bit of data to narrow down the search and strike gold.

  

• Gold bracelet recovered in Novato

  August 21, 2026

  I received a call to search for a 14K gold bracelet lost in a hillside backyard in Novato, California in August 2026. The caller had searched several times themselves, ordered a metal detector and attempted a search, and then received some advice that “there might be professionals out there!” After reviewing the property, the most likely locations were the hillside where lots of material and plant debris were moved, and along a fence at the property boundary where hay was thrown to goats. After about an hour and fifteen minutes, I searched along a wooden staircase along the hillside. The bracelet had fallen under the stairs and I was able to reach under and recover it! The owner was extremely happy as this was an heirloom item from their grandmother.