For those that want to know this info but don't want to go over and read the thread in my previous link the high points...
This is all about Eddy currents.
Eddy currents (also called Foucault currents) are loops of electrical current induced within conductors by a changing magnetic field in the conductor, due to Faraday's law of induction. Eddy currents flow in closed loops within conductors, in planes perpendicular to the magnetic field.
Notice that this definition mentions electrical current induced in "closed loops"...open up those loops and things change.
I like to think of it in this simple way, the current in these targets gets diffused or seems to almost "leak out" which lowers the normal conductive return signal in tones and numbers for any metal and also affects depth.
An open, broken "ring", this would include any circular jewelry object such as rings, earrings, bracelets and whatever else, can diffuse the return signal to our detectors which could make them look a lot different to our detectors...and add most chains into this difficult group of targets because links in a chain can do the same.
A lot will depend on how the target is laying in the ground and how it presents itself to our coils so...luck.
The general effect is usually a lower signal than you would think and/or a reduction in depth it can be picked up from a small to surprisingly large range.
Many newbies assume all silver will come in high but this is not the case especially when it comes to silver chains.
I have found many from very small and thin that came in no higher than iron, several in the foil area and up through nickel, tabs and even a lowly dead on zincoln signal on the thickest, fattest bracelet I have found so far.
Hitting a clasp helps but add in those diffusing links and strange things can happen.
View attachment 377811
Here is a large silver bracelet that was opened in the ground buried and came in at a zincoln signal.
Closed up it changed into a quarter signal.
View attachment 377810
A thick silver ring that was crushed in the middle into a figure 8 shape...essentially two large links, was another dead on zincoln signal in the ground but out of the ground by passing the face over the coil and after I fixed it and opened back up to a true ring shape again it soared way higher up into quarter range.
View attachment 377812
Most gold comes in lower than silver, if this is white gold that could come in even lower to foil because of alloys so dropping way down lower to iron or disappearing completely is not unusual.
Here is testing on a broken ring for depth from '53 Silver.
Weird things happen out there all the time, we can miss targets that are laying in the ground one way but pick them up fine if they are positioned different.
We can avoid digging some trash area signals or even iron but once in awhile they could be something different like gold or silver chains or broken, open jewelry targets.
All this stuff is relatively rare but there always a chance it could happen at any time so you just gotta be on your toes, don't assume and stay aware.
. When I got home I air tested it with my compadre and even when broken it set off the detector, but only out to about 2". The good news is I hit my deepest coin thus far: a true 10" on a clad quarter.
