Travel has the power to open your world with new experiences and often opportunities. A well-placed seating plan at a dinner party sometimes achieves the same. The season two premiere of the docuseries “World of Travel”, from “Rising on The Hill” TV show host Lindsey Granger and film director husband Kolyn Boyd, is Exhibit A.
Inside “The Real Jewels of South Africa”
The kickoff episode, “The Real Jewels of South Africa”, produced with the support of De Beers Group, explores the impact of the diamond industry, past and present, as well as South Africa’s history of Apartheid. At a pre-debut screening event at Tribeca’s Fouquet’s private theater a few days before the episode’s debut, Granger and Boyd welcomed industry figures, influencers and family to share the story of how the episode came to fruition.
How the South Africa episode came to be
Fates aligned in May 2025 when Granger and Boyd attended a De Beers Group dinner hosted by Granger’s long-time friend, stylist and fashion consultant Tiffany Reid. Also in attendance was Moses Madondo, managing director of De Beers Group Managed Operations, and Emmy Kondo, VP marketing, US category at De Beers Group. Both parties had an interest in filming in South Africa.
At the time, Boyd and Granger were planning the follow-up season to the “World of Travel” October 2024 debut and were considering an episode focused on South Africa. The show’s approach centers on truthful, authentic storytelling by locals, rather than a “best places to stay, eat and play” travel-guide formula.
Meanwhile, De Beers Group was exploring the idea of a brand documentary to share the story of the diamond mining business.
“It would have more objectivity and credibility through someone else’s eyes,” said Kondo of De Beers Group’s decision to partner with Boyd and Granger.
“‘World of Travel’, which takes a deeply personal look at the world through a Black American lens, could see and translate the complex history and present of South Africa, following the thread of how natural diamonds are a source of hope and survivalism for some of its most remote communities,” Kondo added in a statement. De Beers Group laissez-faire patronage allowed for an honest and genuine take.
Telling South Africa’s story with honesty
The decision to greenlight the project was swift, and the couple’s goal of filming and distributing by the end of the year was met. In November, Boyd, Granger, their four-year-old, and extended family traveled to South Africa to shoot the episode.
“No other partnerships had happened like this, so it felt like a match made in heaven,” Granger said. “We were clear from the beginning that we aren’t a commercial show. We tell stories of real people on the ground.”
The series balances serious education with light-hearted moments, addressing South Africa’s painful history through a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. “My job as a journalist was to speak to the people, and the De Beers Group team gave us the autonomy to do that. I cover politics. How could I sweep Apartheid under the rug?” Granger said. They also confronted the realities of mining. “There’s a correction happening in the natural diamond industry, so we should talk about that too,” she added.
Inside the diamond industry, past and present
At the Big Hole in Kimberley, the pair learned about the manual and often discriminatory labor involved in early mining. A visit to current-day mines in Limpopo took them deep into the earth, before a stop at Molefi Letsiki Diamond Holdings’ Johannesburg headquarters, where they met the company’s namesake, Molefi Letsiki, the first Black-owned sight holder and a second-generation diamantaire.
There, they witnessed the transformation of rough diamonds into finished cut stones. Boyd was awestruck when he held a 6.16-carat diamond in the palm of his hand.
Boyd approaches the show with a historical lens. “With South Africa, I wanted to take special care with the story, allowing locals to tell it,” he said. “I wanted to show the different chapters of time and how we move into the future.”
Speaking with locals before taping, Boyd discovered a parallel to his hometown of Beaumont, TX, which has had its share of oil booms and busts. “They told me that Americans were heavy-handed regarding the African diamond industry but it’s their livelihood,” he said. “If people stop buying [diamonds], their economy and community suffer. No matter how we feel, it affects people here, so we must move forward together.”
The lasting impact of learning how natural diamonds are sourced
The couple also filmed a second episode focused on Cape Town and animal poaching while in South Africa. Overall, they describe the experience as life-changing, especially learning about the natural diamond creation and sourcing process, which brought a new appreciation for diamonds.
“The craziest thing is that I’ve never been a huge jewelry person,” Granger said. “Learning how deeply it’s connected to the story there made me a jewelry person.” Boyd echoed the sentiment. “Understanding the history and the people who source them makes me a natural diamond guy. I like things that are hard to come by; things you have to work through,” he said.
Looking ahead, Granger is already imagining future diamond destinations. “I saw the De Beers Group team trip to Namibia, and that looked stunning. I’d also love to go to Botswana, the largest exporter in the world,” she said.
“World of Travel” airs new episodes Sundays on The Hill channel via Roku, Samsung TV, Vizio, Haystack App, Pluto TV, and LG TV. Episodes are re-aired every Wednesday on The Hill’s YouTube channel and website, and the series is accompanied by a complementary podcast.
Roxanne Robinson is an award-winning journalist covering luxury and fashion industries with over 25 years of experience between New York and Paris.
