Jewelry appraiser puts price on gems

The Valentine's Day dream of many women is to wake up to a real-life diamond commercial, sappy love song included. This vision remains on the TV screen for most, but if a lady is lucky enough to find herself with a big rock on Feb. 14, she might want to find out how much its worth. And she might want to call Joseph Tenhagen.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Miami lie blocks of jewelry stores making up what could be called the ''diamond district'' of South Florida. And at the heart of this is the Seybold Building, with its 10 floors of diamonds, emeralds and rubies. (Oh my!)

Unlike the myriad jewelers who line Seybold's halls, Tenhagan isn't creating or selling jewelry, rather he's waiting for the precious stones to come to him.

For the past 35 years, Tenhagan has made his living appraising jewelry for the upper echelons of society.

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New York: Popping the big question in the Big Apple

New York: Popping the big question in the Big Apple

You've got the girl. Now all you need is the ring.

And is there anything more romantic than getting engaged in New York City?

''We're so excited. We can't wait for the big day,'' says Chelsea Caramucci, 24, of Weehawken, N.J. She came to a New York jewelry store with fiancé Darren Fuller, 27, to pick out wedding bands for their vows next April.

At the counter, they sit close to one another. His hand covers hers. The couple is glowing -- and it's sure not from the fluorescent lights overhead.

It's that little thing called love.

carriage or while ice-skating at Rockefeller Center.

The hard part is all the details. How do you actually make things happen for a New York engagement trip?

Here are a few suggestions:

• The ring: The place to go for a ring, if you dare, is the Diamond District.

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