Wisconsin diamond store shining bright for 120 years

MOUNT PLEASANT — Diamonds are a girl's best friend, right? Maybe. But they are best friends of Rasmussen Diamonds who have been selling diamonds for 120 years.

"It seems surreal to think we have been around such a long period of time," Kristi Widmar, the general manager of Rasmussen Diamonds in Mount Pleasant said.

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This is part of a series where TODAY'S TMJ4 profiles locally owned businesses.

Widmar is a 5th generation employee and said there is one key to the business lasting 120 years.

"Almost every piece of jewelry that we help people with will signify some special moment in their life."

While the sparkle of a diamond is unlike anything else, it’s what you can’t see, the sentiment behind it, that makes a gemstone worth every penny.

It's the same reason she said people still enjoy coming in to buy a ring or necklace rather than doing it online.

"I feel like jewelry is still one of those things that you still want to have a relationship with the person that is selling you something that once again is so emotionally important."

While she loves making those special moments happen, she said the employee discounts aren't bad either.

"We get a little bit of perk on our end too."

But not on every item like the $21,500 pink diamond they have in stock right now or on the nearly half a million dollar diamond they once sold. However, you'd be surprised to learn that Widmar said most of the people buying those expensive diamonds aren't the rich and the famous. They are more anonymous.

With a combination of some of those big-time sales and more importantly, all the special memories they helped create, Rasmussen Diamonds hopes to be in Mount Pleasant for another 120 years.

You can view more of our local business profiles here: MEC Outdoors, Alem Ethiopian Village, and Freese's Candy Shop.