The Bailey’s Fine Jewelry box is an icon in Raleigh that the company says is a sign of lasting love. The signature black and white box topped off with a shiny red bow is bound to make any girl’s heart flutter, as well as make any boy’s wallet much lighter.  

But on Oct. 24, 125 lucky couples have the chance of finding a diamond ring valued at $20,000 for free. 

Bailey’s is hosting a scavenger hunt in downtown Raleigh, called Bailey’s Ultimate Finders Keepers, and will send text messages to selected participants, giving them riddles and clues to the ring’s location.

Andy Barbee, a redshirt senior center football player, and his girlfriend of five years have been selected to join in on the scavenger hunt. They have known each other for most of their lives and they are looking forward to spending the rest of their lives together.

“We’ve known each other since elementary school. We grew up in the same town and have probably been friends since fourth or fifth grade. Then a friend of mine set us up our senior year, in October 2004. Since then we’ve pretty much been inseparable … Though we are not engaged now, we will be if we win,” Barbee said.

Barbee said if he and his girlfriend, who graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill last May, do not win, he will propose by springtime, but his busy schedule has prevented him from being able to afford a ring.

“I would have liked to [have proposed] sooner, but playing football for five years, there hasn’t been a chance for me to get a job or find a way to get money,” Barbee said.

Amanda Etheridge, a junior in fashion and textile management, is interested in participating in Bailey’s Ultimate Finders Keepers with her boyfriend of one year. 

Though it will be at least two years until they get engaged, Etheridge said they are pretty much together forever.

Since Barbee has a lot of competition against him, his special strategy for winning is to educate himself about downtown Raleigh.

“I’ve lived in Raleigh for five years, and I don’t know Raleigh all that well. I’m definitely going to get a couple maps to familiarize myself with some of the road names and different places. This might lead to clues. I will definitely get on the Internet, try familiarize with downtown Raleigh,” Barbee said.

Though splitting up may help couples cover more ground and search two places at once, Barbee said he and his girlfriend are going to stay paired up for the scavenger hunt.

“We’re going to stay together. She would be completely lost. She doesn’t know anything about downtown Raleigh. We work pretty well together, so this should be interesting anyway,” Barbee said.

Though the possibility of winning a diamond ring appeals to couples, girls are partnering up to search for it as well, according to Will Stronach, a senior in public relations who is working with the University’s chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America to promote the event.

Both Barbee and Etheridge said that while selling the ring would be tempting, they would keep the ring if they found it.

“If we found ring, I would keep it … but I wouldn’t want to see it,” Etheridge said.

Chris Bell, Etheridge’s boyfriend and a senior at Campbell University, would use the ring as an engagement ring.

“If we found it, I would take it, put it in a box, and give it back to you,” Bell said to Etheridge. “It would be a good start to marriage if we sold it and put the money toward something else, or you could have a nice ring.”

Barbee said though $20,000 is a lot of money, the ring would be better suited as a symbol of their relationship.

“If we win, honestly, I would like to keep it, and she would, too … It would be a nice ring to have,” Barbee said.

But for Barbee, winning isn’t everything. The Bailey’s Ultimate Finders Keepers would be a fun activity for the two of them and an opportunity to spend quality time together.

“We’re really excited regardless if win or not,” Barbee said. “It sounds like it’s going to be really fun, and I look forward to it.”