Million dollar ring... maybe!

Joel D Amos

After about a year of dating, American Idol alum Carrie Underwood is engaged to marry her hockey playing beau, Mike Fisher – and she's got a serious rock to prove it!

Underwood posted on her website on December 21: "I think you all know what Santa left under the tree for me this year... a fiance!"  "Woo hoo! Little Ace is finally going to have a dad! We all couldn't be happier!!!"

Underwood and the Ottawa Senators hockey star, Mike Fisher, 29, were introduced by friends at a concert back in October 2008 and have managed to avoid the spotlight during their courtship. That said, however, they haven't hidden their love -- Fisher even received a shout out in Underwood's hit album, Play On.

"Thank you #12," she wrote in the album liner notes, referring to Fisher's jersey number. "You are the most amazing addition to my life! You are such a wonderful person and have had such an amazing hand in the building of this album and in the growth of me as a person. I love you so much! You make my life better in every way! I thank God for you every day. ...xoxo, Carrie."

Fans are thrilled at the starlet's good news, but also a bit distracted by the sparkle of her new bling. There's been much chatter about where it came from and how many carats the diamond is, not to mention the price tag.

Jewelry designer Johnathon Arndt, who bejeweled Underwood for the CMA Awards and the CNN Heroes Awards this year, has taken credit for the design of her new bobble, noting it has a flawless yellow diamond center, but showing some class, he didn't fill in the blanks about the price tag or carat count.

Initial speculation had the ring worth at least six figures, but there's been a lot of guess work going on. Diamond Information Center estimated the ring to be a five-plus carat brilliant round diamond with diamond side stones, worth over $150,000; while myjewelrybox.com checked out the photos on the Internet and estimated the ring at 12 carats, which would make it worth more than $1 million. Wowser!

“This ring is a symbol of love from Mike Fisher to Carrie Underwood,” Arndt said in his release. "Warm Wishes and Congratulations to Carrie and Mike!!!"

He couldn't have said it better. Congratulations Carrie and Mike!