I know this sounds terrible, but I passed up on one this weekend-I was just too content lounging after our company left-now I wish I would have gone 

What about car boot sales?  I used to love them but I ended up with so many bargains that I found I had nowhere to put them. Because of these car boot sales  I  managed to create  a "shabby chic" decor in our house in the north. 
Joia

KK - do you use the polishing paste for your jewelry or something else? 

Jen don´t put the emerald in vinegar, if you already have don´t do it again.  Just gently clean the diamonds round it with a  liquid soap and a soft toothbrush.  Emeralds are very delicate.  Mind you I have heard that if it is an unincluded (you know what I mean) emerald they are pretty hardy but how many emeralds do you find like that?  Also don´t let it near a source of heat and be careful not to knock it on anything. 
I am no expert I have just picked up a few tips round and about.
Joia

kleinkath--Is the show Gem Faire? I love to go to it and make sure to attend twice a year when it comes to a nearby city.  Lots of nice jewelry there from inexpensive sterling things to fine vintage pieces.  There is junk and fine things, too.

Good to hear!  Sometimes there are a few vendors of vintage jewelry at Gem Faire.
The large tables covered with Baltic amber sterling jewelry are fun to look at, too.

Cute yellow smiley picture! LOL

Good to hear you had great luck with vinegar!!

That IS too cute STCI!    Gotta love the simple white vinegar home solution!

This is what i do. Washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Excellent results.

I was chatting to a bench jeweler today and he asked what I use to clean my rings. I told him vinegar and dishsoap. He took my ring, put a little spot of dishsoap on it, scrubbed heck out of it with quite a hard toothbrush, then put it in his US with very, very hot water and more dishsoap. He rinsed it under hot running water, then put it back in the US with hot clean water.

I can't believe how different it looks. He said (and DH says he's right, so it must be true, right!) that over time, vinegar will leave a film that doesn't rinse away with plain water.

I ran straight home and tried the same thing with all my stuff. It looks cleaner! I guess that if you're using the hot vinegar cleaning, give it an alternative scrub once in a while?

My ering actually looks bigger when it's clean, I think. EC- you can see the facet pattern properly now!

Jen

One of the local jewelers recommended dishsoap, but I assumed it would leave a film-- perhaps not so!

We use "mild green Fairy Liquid"  I checked the labels of various cleaning things in the cupboard and a lot are oil of something or other based. Liquid laundry detergent does seem to work, but DH keeps washing clothes with it, to "use it up."

Jen