Woman loses priceless Rolex watch her late dad gifted her mom and the internet's rooting for her to find it

In 2023, Lisa Jones (@gigglesbyjones on Instagram) lost both her parents within just 24 hours of each other, and since then, she has had a difficult time coping with the devastating loss. However, only when she had started accepting the reality and trying to move forward did she lose something too precious — something that reminded Jones of her mother — a Rolex watch and a bangle. In a heartbreaking video shared on June 25, 2025, Jones, determined not to rest until she finds her "most prized possession," urges people to contact her in case they have any leads to the missing jewelry. 

Jones had spent two years collecting her parents' valuables after their demise. She possibly wanted to keep all the precious stuff her parents once used to feel closer to them, but everything changed when, in 2025, she and her husband took a trip to France. On the last day, Jones' jewelry was stolen while she was travelling from Marseille to Paris on a train. "It wasn't just jewelry. Family heirlooms were stolen," she said. The Rolex watch that Jones lost was a birthday gift from her father to her mother. In fact, her dad had engraved "Hone," a nickname his wife had given him. Jones' mother was very fond of that watch and had worn it throughout her life.

The bangle was basically a piece of jewelry that Jones' mother had inherited from her grandma. "They make me feel close to my parents," Jones said, emphasizing the emotional sentiments attached to the lost jewelry. "I will not rest until my mom’s watch and the bangle are found," she added in the caption. Jewelry, especially heirloom jewelry, carries great emotional value and is passed down through generations, connecting people to their origins. According to research by Russell Belk, people often associate their identity with things they own, and these prized possessions can carry symbolic value for them. However, when they lose these possessions, it triggers a grieving process, exactly like when a person experiences the loss of a close companion.

Meanwhile, reacting to Jones' video, @carolinelunny commented, "I don’t know why, but I feel in my bones that they will find their way back to you. I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this." @gretchenrossi shared, "I feel this deeply. I had very sentimental jewelry stolen from me as well, and it’s just heartbreaking; they’re pieces that are irreplaceable, and it just hurts your heart every time you think about it. I pray this jewelry finds its way back to you somehow."

@alex.goes.to.tn shared, "This hits hard! I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, but I’ve worn my dad’s Rolex every day for 16 years. I hope these are recovered; I really believe they will be." @emotionalhealthmama shared, "I lost my mom's ring. She passed away last year. I was devastated, heartbroken. Then I realized they were just things. How lucky that you had their love. NO ONE can take that. They are forever in your heart, soul, and DNA. I hope you find your stuff, but if not, they are with you." Similarly, @sarahswanstudio shared, "I lost a diamond pear pendant given to me by my husband on the birth of our first child... I prayed to St. Anthony, and 6 weeks later it turned up... an old lady handed it into a shop... Keep looking at all suggested forums and praying. I believe you will find."

You can follow Lisa Jones (@gigglesbyjones) on Instagram for lifestyle content.