Approx. value of mikimoto pearls from japan

by Geri
(Arizona)

52 years ago my husband and I lived in Japan (military), and purchased a single strand of mikimoto pearls. They are a graduated strand and 30 years ago had them appraised, and at that time, were valued over $1,000. Someone had come into our home and got their hands on the pearls and apparently thought they were not real (they were not knotted between each pearl).

Luckily they were ok, but whoever handled them stretched them so that the jeweler restrung them and knotted them. Although the jeweler appraised them, I was wondering if they were now not as valuable due to being restrung and knotted? What are the chances of the value being much more than the $1,000 (+) 30 years ago?