Subtitled:

The pervasive urban myth of the Ring flight terror.

Seems to me that everyone I've ever spoken to about the ring flight has the horror stories of lost gems, damaged settings or lost rings all together.

Oddly enough, the more actual workers I talk to, who really actually perform a ring flight, the fewer stories I hear.
Heard from lots of people who've heard rumors and everybody seems to know someone who knows someone who lost a stone.
Never actually bumped into someone who personally claimed to have had trouble.

Near as I can tell, there's very little actual substance to this claim.

What say you?

Have YOU personally had a ring flight disaster?

I used to do it a lot when I table hopped. ZERO problems ever. Also, have done a multitude of borrowed ring effects - including the one where you ”accidentally” toss the ring across the room, (really a nickel) and just as their hearts drop, reproduce it on your pinky. Never has anyone say their ring was given back damaged. (That was another claim I heard way too many times from the rumor mill). Same thing with ”borrowing” watches. Never had an issue.

I won't say it never happens, but I bet it is way less than we hear.

Al the Only (one of the busiest pros you'll ever meet), shares a first-person ring-flight nightmare story in his lecture. Lost ring, furious restaurant patron, accusations of scam and theft. Eventually found after a painfully protracted search.

That's the only incident I can put a name on and give a primary source, instead of friend-of-a-friend.

Also from a usually reliable source, I heard of a ring launched over the side of a riverboat and into the water, but this was a second-hand story. So, unlike the one above, I can't claim its truth 100%. Some chance this one's a legend.

I was demonstrating a ring flight when I worked a brick and mortar. I was using my own ring. The Ruby that was set in it did come out. If it wasn't set good or it hit wrong, I don't know, I just know that stone was gone.

Mike Super has a story about hearing the ring he vanished go across a room.
Panicked, he continued. As he gets to end of set, a waiter walks over with the ring and hands it to Mike. Spectators were amazed, but not as much as Mike.
Story only, as I wasn't there to see it. And Mike tells it better.
Shooz