In 2013, jewelry and watch sales increased 6.3% from 2012, and specialty jewelry retailers posted a 7.8% increase in sales to a record $33.25 billion in 2013. The performance of jewelry and watches has outdone inflation, most other retail sectors and even the US economy in 2013. So while jewelry sales have continued to grow in 2014, hitting yet another record level, the rise in jewelry demand has weakened, and the rate of growth has slowed from 2013