Does value of pearls increase with time?

by Emily Snow
(Gainesville, GA, USA)

I was given a pearl necklace as a gift, there are 50 pearls on this vintage necklace. It belonged to the giver's great grandmother. She was in her 60's when she gave them to me. She told me then that they were turn of the century real pearls and each pearl was valued at $1,000 each. Making the total value $50,000. That was about a decade ago, are they still worth the same or does the value increase?