Famous Scottish pearl fetches over £93,000 at auction

The pearl was discovered by William (Bill) Abernethy, who is considered Scotland's last dedicated pearl fisherman.

He found them in 1967, before the ban on pearl fishing was introduced in Scotland in 1998.

Weighing 43.6 grains, it is the largest freshwater pearl found in modern Scottish history, although it is smaller than the Kellie Pearl, discovered in the 1540s and set in the Scottish crown.

READ MORE: Famous Scottish pearl expected to fetch up to £60,000 at auction when it goes on sale

Mr Abernethy, who died in 2021 at the age of 96, never disclosed where exactly in Scotland he made the rare find.

It is estimated that only one in 5,000 mussels in Scottish rivers contains a pearl and that they are generally smaller than their saltwater counterparts.

In the 1970s, award-winning wildlife cameraman Doug Allan worked with Mr Abernethy as a pearl diver.

In an obituary, Mr. Allan mentioned that his friend could tell whether a shell contained a pearl by the size and shape of the shell.

This allowed him to pick carefully and leave other mussels undisturbed.

He said: “Mr Abernethy was a unique man and it was a privilege to have known him.

“I remember watching Mr. Abernethy fishing with a glass and rod, and then he gave me a chance.

“It didn’t take long for me to realize how much hard work it was.

“Mr. Abernethy, of course, made it look effortless. But it wasn't.

“He stood there, leaning over the glass, peering at the river bottom, searching for the little edges of the mussels buried in the sand.

“It was a great pleasure for me to learn about the ancient craft from Mr. Abernethy.

“The old words that only the real pearl fishers would use.

“Sometimes we walked for miles across the fields until we reached 'the spot.'

“He pointed to the particular part of the river that he knew would be best suited for