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New York—During her lifetime, the late Princess Grace of Monaco sought to recognize and celebrate artistic innovation.  As such, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA honors art at the vanguard of excellence.

For the third year, PGF-USA has partnered with jewelry artist Alex Soldier to create a unique piece (left) to commemorate the Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III Awards. The award will be given November 1 at its annual Awards Gala at Cipriani in New York City. Last year's Award designed by Soldier went to Actor Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta for their charitable support of the arts. The Centurion caught up with Maria Soldier last week at a fundraiser for the Princess Grace Awards in The Hamptons, where she revealed a new Alex Soldier silver collection. Watch the three exclusive videos from that event below.

• The 13-inch statue commemorating the Prince Rainier III Award incorporates symbols representing all three disciplines that were close to Princess Grace’s heart and lauded by the Foundation: theater, dance, and film. This year Mont Blanc will also dwsign a special tribute to Princess Grace.

The award is comprised of connected symbols denoting theater, dance, and film. The PGF-USA name decorates the core of the sculpture; the right wing symbolizes the American flag, and the left a strip of film with the PGF-USA crown and the year when the award was made, 2011. The film ribbon transforms into a cascade of stars to symbolize Hollywood actors whose images are cherished to this day. A mask in the center of the composition is the symbol of theater with its comic and tragic parts. The pedestal on which the statue rests features the steps taken by each award winner to achieve recognition.

The Award is made primarily of platinum-plated silver with black obsidian and Swarovski crystal accents. The metalwork displays a special texturing technique signature to Soldier’s style.

Soldier also designed the Princess Grace Awards to be given to each of 21 emerging artists that will be recognized at the Gala. It is a miniature version of the Prince Rainier III Award. It also serves a practical purpose as wearable art. Each piece is made for the recipients to wear as a pin. Awards are given for promising talent in Theater, Playwriting, Dance, Choreography, Film, Special Projecta and Workd in Progress. Click here to view the winners of these 2011 awards on the foundation's web site.

Soldier’s designs for the PGF-USA were created in his gallery in New York, where he worked by hand under a microscope to complete the intricate detailing. Soldier noted, “It would be impossible to achieve the level of layered detail and character unless I did the work myself.”

For an exclusive video interview with Maria Soldier, daughter of the designer, click here.

Exclusive video with the executive director of the Princess Grace Foundation can be viewed here.

Click here to view an exclusive video discussing the launch of Giorgio G cognac, created by Giorgio Gucci of the famed Italian design house. The cognac was offered during the Princess Grace Foundation event.