Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC
Six Time Spectrum Award Winner – 2024
 Newsletter Special Issue, October 2023 AGTA’s Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards – Extraordinary! UPDATED! If you have not seen this yet, (or even if you have…) check out the winners of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) 2023 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards!Hundreds of entries filled the judging tables, with the top winners being Niveet Nagpal, from Omi Privé, who took First Place & Best of Show in Spectrum for his Platinum ring featuring a 15.22 ct. black Opal, accented with paraiba Tourmalines, Tsavorite Garnets, and Diamonds in Evening Wear (seen here), and in Cutting Edge, Joseph Ambalu, from Amba Gem Corp for his suite of 4 beautifully matching oval “Paraíba-type” Tourmalines, winning Best of Show & First Place, Best of Single Entries in Pairs & Suites. Winners also included Jeffrey Bilgore, from Jeffrey Bilgore LLC, taking home six (yes, 6) Spectrum wins! Spend some quality time to check out ALL of the winners here! AGTA’s Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards – Extraordinary! Contest Draws More Entries Gary Roskin Roskin Gem News Report The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has announced the winners of the 2023 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards, and they are all spectacular! This year’s competition took place Oct. 24–25 in Dallas, Texas, home of the AGTA. Judging took place over two days early in the week. Jewelry, fashion, and gem trade editors were invited for the final two days of the week to look over the entire collection including all of the award winning pieces. Judges this year included Allan Koo, A. Koo & Co.; Brent Malgarin, Elegant Gems, Ltd.; Christina Gandia Gambale, Greenwich St. Jewelers; Lika Behar, Lika Behar Jewelry; and Clayton Bromberg, Underwood’s Jewelers (Jacksonville, Fla.). “The 2023 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards have a new home and a new vibe!” says Kimberly Collins, owner of Kimberly Collins Colored Gems and president of the AGTA board of directors. “Our judges were amazing and worked so well together. They seem to be extremely on the same page with the selections they made. As always, the integrity of the judging competition is of the upmost importance. I felt the winners had a classic, timeless aesthetic this year. I’m so proud to be part of a judging competition that holds itself to the most stringent standards.” “It was an intense yet incredibly interesting experience,” says judge Lika Behar. “I think I just about used every single usable brain cell I have during the judging process. I savored every minute of analyzing beautifully cut gems, amazing colors, and exquisitely crafted pieces of jewelry. The time was limited which made me focus and work through the entries as efficiently as possible. (I work well under pressure and decide quickly so it worked out.)” And with five judges, one would expect several differences of opinion, yes? “As far as unanimity of opinions of the judges, in most cases our opinions were surprisingly similar. Beauty outshines!” Hundreds of entries filled the judging tables, 24% more pieces than last year, with a 28% increase in the Business/Day Wear category, and a 26% increase in the Evening Wear category. “This year’s Awards are one of our best ever,” says CEO John W. Ford Sr. “We had an additional 100 entries this year over last, and many of them had stunning green and blue-green gems. The Omni Hotels are the new home of the Awards for the next few years, and we hope to take the competition national to other Omni venues.” What does it feel like to win? “It is humbling!” says Jeff Bilgore after winning six Spectrum Awards. Six! “I guess it’s kind of cliché to say that, but it’s really beyond belief!” Bilgore has been in the gem industry since 1980, working in many different capacities. And now it’s as if all the stars have aligned. So what’s the secret to his latest wins? “I took the stones out of the safe and just started making my tweezers work,” says Bilgore. And work well, they did. But no one says it’s easy. “The biggest challenge today for designers is that people look at fine jewelry and say, ‘where am I going to wear it?’ So, you’ve got to come up with something that can be elegant and still wearable.” Bilgore has now won two years in a row in the Fashion Forward category, this year for a piece that complements the one from last year. “It’s unimaginable!” exclaims Bilgore. “I still can’t believe it.” His six wins this year means he has won eleven awards over the past two years. Believe it, Jeff – It is truly remarkable!   Classical – 1st Place Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC Platinum “Moi et Toi Perfection in Green & White” ring featuring a 3.49 ct. unenhanced Colombian Emerald and a 3.36 ct. Diamond accented with Diamonds (0.43 ctw.) Image by Jeff Mason  Best Use of Color Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC Platinum “Ocean & Grass Wave” bracelet featuring heated Sapphires (25.02 ctw.) accented with Russian Demantoid Garnets (7.87 ctw.), yellow Diamonds (1.14 ctw.), and white Diamonds (7.32 ctw.) Image by Jeff Mason Classical – Platinum Innovation Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC Platinum “Ocean & Grass Wave” bracelet featuring heated Sapphires (25.02 ctw.) accented with Russian Demantoid Garnets (7.87 ctw.), yellow Diamonds (1.14 ctw.), and white Diamonds (7.32 ctw.) Image by Jeff Mason  Men’s Wear – Platinum Innovation Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC Platinum “Ocean & Grass Wave” ring featuring a 3.18 ct. Russian demantoid Garnet and unheated Sapphires (4.72 ctw.) accented by heated Sapphires (1.25 ctw.), Demantoid Garnets (2.66 ctw.), and Diamonds (0.41 ctw.) Image by Jeff Mason  Classical – Platinum Honors Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC Platinum “Something New & Something Blue Wave” choker featuring an unheated 11.03 ct. cushion-cut Sri Lankan Sapphire accented with unheated Sapphires (5.13 ctw.), Russian Demantoid Garnets (3.29 ctw.),heated Sapphires (1.36 ctw.), yellow Diamonds (0.39 ctw.), and white Diamonds (4.10 ctw.) Image by Jeff Mason  Best of Fashion Forward Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC 18K yellow gold and black ceramic “Greek Key Fancy Diamond Perfection” bracelet featuring mixed fancy vivid Diamonds (14.82 ctw.) accented with Tsavorite Garnets (1.70 ctw.) Image by Jeff Mason  20221st Place Evening Wear and Fashion Forward Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC 18K yellow gold and black ceramic ring featuring a 4.03ct Fancy Deep Brownish Yellow Diamond accented by Tsavorite Garnets (0.17 ctw.). Image by Brian Moghodam |
