Random question - metal detector

Hi all,

I lost a small earring yesterday - potentially while forking over the lawn to prep it for turf. We are hoping to borrow or hire a metal detector to look for it, despite the unlikelihood of finding it, as it's important to me. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of metal detectors and could provide any advice (what I'd need to find a small stud earring made of white gold, technique, etc).

Thanks very much,
mopeyjonah

Can you narrow down the area in which you lost the earring? Did you turn the soil or just fork it?
I'd start by doing the fingertip search that the police do when looking for evidence. Maybe shine a torch on the soil and you may catch a reflection.
I lost a cheap earring in a field of long grass once. The next day I went back and, amazingly, found it. Don't give up hope.

I have a couple of metal detectors and a pinpointer and would look for it for you if you were close at hand. Failing that, put an ad in the local shop window and metal detectorists would jump at the chance. Be aware that most garden have a lot of metal in them though newer detectors can discriminate iron out giving more chance of finding non ferrous metals. Unfortunately, a ring pull gives the same signal as a silver ring  though so you may finish up with quite a few holes in your garden unless you can pinpoint exactly where you lost it.

That's very kind, Vinny. Thanks, both, for your responses.

Unfortunately I noticed that it was missing at midday. And we had been digging the garden (thankfully a small space to cover) plus went through the grass at the park with the little one. Rather more problematic. It could also be in the house, though no sign yet indoors or out with the crawling about and shining a light strategy. I assume it came out in the garden when my scarf would have been rubbing it or in the park when I put my hood up in the rain. I'll keep looking and the neighbors are all kindly keeping an eye out. Maybe I'll get lucky, too, Veggie

Not much help but I lost my wedding ring for about a year until it turned up in an old plant pot!!

I used to do a bit of metal detecting on the beach with my Grandad. We never found anything exciting. One day we were ask to stop digging while two ladies walked past. They were worried we’d found an unexploded WW2 bomb. We hadn’t it was just another beer can! But a bomb had been found a few weeks earlier unfortunately not by us.

But that’s no help finding your earring.

I appreciate the tales. We actually bought a metal detector but it can't detect the matching earring. Seems it's too small. So that is likely that unless it turns up in the house somewhere.

We are so lucky this year despite everything that's going on. But if you'll forgive me a quick lament. The earrings were a gift from my parents for finishing my PhD. They bought them at Tiffany's in New York when they came for my thesis defense. It was not a small expenditure for them even though the earrings are not large. I wore them when I got married. Assuredly a small concern in this world, but it makes me a bit heartsick. Perhaps I can have the remaining earring made into something for my daughter when she's older.

My better half used to tell me to ask St Anthony for help to find lost items..............may have had something to do with being called Anthony!!

Prayer to Saint Anthony for lost Items

St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find (name your lost item) which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.

Bob turned up with a metal detector. He’s only borrowing it for a week. So we’ve been out in the field having a play. We found lots of big old square nails, a couple of belt buckles. Taking it up to the plot at the weekend. See if we find anything exciting there.

Did you ever find your earring?

Bob turned up with a metal detector. He’s only borrowing it for a week. So we’ve been out in the field having a play. We found lots of big old square nails, a couple of belt buckles. Taking it up to the plot at the weekend. See if we find anything exciting there.

Did you ever find your earring?

If it has discrimination you should be able to filter out any ferrous finds like nails, horseshoes and ploughshares!