Posted on Wed, Jul. 16, 2008

As blue as the evening sky and surrounded by a constellation of diamonds, the ring caught the eye of Florida's governor.

It was in the window at the Gold & Diamond Center in St. Petersburg's Northeast Shopping Center, where Gov. Charlie Crist turned to jewelry designer Hien Nguyen earlier this month to help him select an engagement ring for Carole Rome. Crist and his family are longtime patrons of the shop. The governor's father, Dr. Charles Crist Sr., is Nguyen's family physician.

When the governor walked in with his security detail, Nguyen's wife, Be Dinh, immediately called her husband, who was off running an errand.

''He came right away,'' said Dinh, who described the governor as ``happy. He had a big smile.''

Nguyen, who designed and made the custom piece, said it is a radiant-cut ''top-of-the-line'' sapphire, weighing close to 5 carats, surrounded by pave diamonds that amount to about 2 carats, all set in 18-karat white gold.

Nguyen offered two other rings for Crist's consideration: one all diamonds, another a sapphire with diamonds on either side. The governor eventually decided on the one from the window display and said he wanted to make sure that it pleased Rome, to whom he proposed on July 3.

It's a one-of-a-kind design, but if asked, he could create one nearly like it, the jeweler said. He estimated it would take a week's labor.

Nguyen wouldn't divulge what Crist paid for the treasure. ''That's a little bit difficult for me,'' Nguyen said. ``He may not want to say to his wife.''

The governor and Rome did not pick out wedding rings. Yet.