Chasing fresh drops

Unfortunately, that is exactly what you have to do, if you want to find fresh drops. 
Chase them down, they do not show up at the same time, same place every week, you have to know where and when they are likely to be found. 
The where is a busy stretch of beach, the when is not on a Saturday morning! 
If you are timing your beach or water hunts around a Saturday morning, you have got to change your metal detecting plans. 
A full Saturday on a busy beach will make Saturday afternoon, or evening a better choice for Saturday morning jewelry hunters.
I took a drive along the beach road early this morning on my way to price a job up, it was surprising just how many beach and shallow water hunters were out on a Saturday morning along this stretch of beach. 
Later in the day I drove along the same stretch and only saw one guy metal detecting, he probably had more success than the 12 beach and water hunters I saw earlier. 
In my opinion, timing is everything in jewelry hunting, you have to develop good timing by knowing how to put where and when together. 
Connect the dots and you can find obvious fresh drops like this 2.5 carat oval emerald set in an 18K gold ladies ring, appraised value $3600.00 

The quicker you realize the best times to go jewelry hunting, the more jewelry you will be returning home with. 
I dare say it will not be every Saturday morning!