Owner to reclaim relationship ring lost and found at beach on Auckland's Waiheke Island

The ring's inscribed initials, at first thought to be "A&J", are in fact "R&J". Photo / Supplied

The relationship ring dug up from a Waiheke Island beach will be reunited with its owner.

"We found the owners!" said Amanda Pipe, whose 6-year-old Jackson had found the inscribed ring while digging in the wet sand of Palm Beach on Saturday.

"John lost it a couple of weeks earlier while swimming chest deep in the sea. Spent hours trying to find it. They were stoked to hear we had found it. Happy ending to a lovely story."

The ring was found by Jackson Pipe in the wet sand at Palm Beach, Waiheke Island. Photo / Supplied.

Separately, a friend of the couple's read the Herald story about Jackson's find and contacted the paper to say she wondered if the ring might be theirs.

She said Richard and John had made their relationship official 10 years ago.

Pipe had initially read the ring's internal inscription as "A&J 21/06/2008". But after hearing from the owner she realised that what she had thought was an "A" was actually an "R".

She had posted a "found" notice and picture of the on Facebook which was shared about 2000 times.

Pipe said the couple contacted her via Facebook last night and told her they had been gutted by the loss of the ring.

She hopes it can be slipped back onto John's finger soon.

"We haven't met them yet but we hope to, hopefully next week or later on in the month when they are over at Waiheke Island."