When Mark Rubinstein found a mysterious pendant while hunting pythons in the Everglades, he made it his mission to reunite the partially melted, antique gold medallion to its rightful heirs.
He later discovered the spot where he found the pendant was near the site of two plane crashes: the ValuJet Flight 592 crash of 1996 and the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crash of 1972.
Now, sophisticated testing is confirming the pendant was most likely worn by a passenger on one of those planes, according to The Miami Herald.
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Lab tests showed that the melted-on contamination on the pendant contains titanium, a chemical used in aviation, Stephen Walker of Walker Metalsmiths in New York told the newspaper.
Robert Moorman of Carroll's Jewelers in Fort Lauderdale told NBC6 that the pendant, which is studded with diamonds and sapphires, is made of real gold and probably dates back to the 18th century.
The pendant's estimated value on the market is about $150.
Anyone with information about who the pendant may belong to is encouraged to e-mail gadunham@aol.com or go to planesafe.org.
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