Travel Channel Premieres One-hour Special, "gem Hunt", Premiering Sunday, June 3 At 10pm Et/pt

Gemstones often bring to mind images of sparkling, colorful jewels. But where these stones come from is an often chaotic, high-stakes world spanning some of the most remote and exotic locations around the globe. In Travel Channel's new original one-hour special "Gem Hunt," premiering on Sunday, June 3 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, viewers will follow veteran gem dealer Ron LeBlanc, geologist Bernie Gadboury and jewelry maven Diane Robinson as they travel to remote regions of Madagascar in search of gemstones they can turn into a small fortune.

There's much profit to be made from these rocks, but buyers must be skilled in spotting flaws, "fake" synthetic stones and knowing when - and just how much - to bargain. As LeBlanc and his team hunt for rare pink sapphires, premium blue sapphires and the country's finest aquamarines, they get more than they bargained for when they are offered a $700,000 piece of giant aquamarine that is about to be whisked out of the country. After many failures they find what they came for - half a pound of aqua which Ron hopes can be cut into a huge and valuable jewel in a secret gem factory in Bangkok, Thailand. Viewers will gain insight into Madagascar's bustling gem industry and the risks and dangers a gem hunter encounters in this exciting journey from mine to market.

"Gem Hunt" is produced by NHNZ for Travel Channel. For NHNZ, executive producer is Craig Meade. For Travel Channel, executive producer is David E.Gerber.

TRAVEL CHANNEL (http://www.travelchannel.com) is a multiplatform travel lifestyle brand with the core mission of providing inspiring and compelling programming that takes viewers beyond their everyday destinations, making the unfamiliar familiar, whether it's around the world or around the block. A dual feed network that is also available in HD, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand, and is available in over 94 million U.S. cable homes. Owned and operated by Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), Travel Channel has offices in Chevy Chase, MD, and New York, NY. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI) also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.