In my Saturday blog on everything you could possibly want to know about Super Bowl rings, I included a video about a Super Bowl ring that was returned to New York Jets center John Schmitt after being lost for 40 years.
The day before this year’s big game, Brenda Reichel, jewelry appraiser at Carats & Karats Fine Jewelry, emailed me and said that her store helped facilitate the reunion.
She graciously gave me permission to share her thoughts; they are yet another testament to why jewelry still has a powerful effect on our lives.
I am the jewelry appraiser in the story about John Schmitt’s Super Bowl Ring found and returned after 40 years in Hawaii. It was a highlight to an appraiser’s career to be able to reunite the ring with its owner. I love those trademarks, karat stamps (metal marks), and initials in and on any piece of jewelry.
The Safferys are a wonderful family that found the ring in their uncle’s estate. In Hawaii it takes “us” a long time to go through our items from a loved one. It was a pleasure to work with them in getting the ring back to John Schmitt. He is not like some of the players you mention in your article. I find John to be so very humble and thankful to have met Cynthia and Samuel. The OWN network came to Hawaii to film the story, me, my store Carats & Karats Fine Jewelry. They followed the Safferys to New York and were there when John finally got to put his ring back on his finger. He made sure it got on his finger and that it won’t come off.
“Lost and Found” broadcast the episode this past Thursday night nationwide. None of us had seen the episode or knew when it would broadcast. All of us were excited. We called each other in anticipation. The story we told the viewers is a story of faith, and of doing the right thing. No one knew it was a genuine Super Bowl Ring from that famous game or who was the player until I told them that September day in 2011. We waited for OWN to let the world know and they did.
From time to time we all talk to each other. John is planning a family trip in the near future. It will be great to get together and see that ring on his hand at last for myself.
Sincerely and Aloha,
Brenda Reichel
Here is the “Lost and Found” broadcast that aired Jan. 31:
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