You Can Find More Precious Metals in Swimming Season . . . Here’s How
When a community pool reopened in a suburban town a few weeks ago, a pool service was called in to service the filtration system. Usually, servicing the pool is pretty routine. But this year, the technicians found more jewelry in the system than usual – jewelry that swimmers had lost last year. There were two platinum engagement rings, a bunch of earrings, and pieces of costume jewelry. And when the technicians removed a perforated drain cover from the floor of the pool, they found still more jewelry.
Why hadn’t last year’s swimmers reported that they had lost those items? We have no idea. But our advice for you this season is that pools and their filtration systems tend to collect lost jewelry. This is true in big town pools, but also in pools at exercise clubs and hotels, and even in your own backyard pool if you own one.
But as summer starts, we have even more advice for you about jewelry and swimming.
To Find Lost Jewelry, Wear a Face Mask and Look Around
This is basic advice. But the fact remains that a facemask, which costs only a few dollars, is about the most effective tool ever invented for finding lost items in pools and lakes especially. In pools, be sure to inspect those perforated grates that cover water inlets on the bottom. Don’t be surprised if you find earrings, rings and other items.
Look on Poolside Tables, on Shelves and Other Areas where People Might Have Forgotten Jewelry
Of course, you will want to do the right thing and turn jewelry in to lost and found offices. But if you find items that are not claimed, you can legitimately claim that they are yours – at least, you can negotiate with hotels, swim clubs and other entities.
Will Exposure to Water Harm Precious Metals?
It is tempting to believe that gold, platinum and silver cannot be damaged by exposure to water. Yet that is not completely true.
Gold and platinum cannot be damaged by exposure to chlorine or salt, but silver can. In fact, minute amounts of silver can be lost if silver items are left in salt water especially, with lesser quantities of silver lost in chlorinated water.
And What About Gemstones?
Diamonds and most other hard gems will not be damaged by chlorinated or salt water. But opals and pearls, which are somewhat porous, have been known to suffer damage from prolonged exposure to chlorine. The same is true of amber, which is basically fossilized tree sap.
What Should You Do with the Gold, Silver and Platinum You Find?
Simply call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners at 800-426-2344. We are here to test the metal items you have found, reclaim the gold, platinum and silver they contain, and pay you promptly.
So, our advice to you is, jump in, the water is fine! And while you are swimming, keep and eye open for precious metals you can profit from.