Diamonds are a Cannabis Connoisseur’s Best Friend
If you’ve never heard of weed diamonds, you are probably not alone. This cannabis product first appeared around 2015 and has slowly been making its way into the mainstream. As the name implies, a cannabis diamond is a crystal-like structure; making them is even called diamond mining, but unlike its carbon-based counterpart, these diamonds are made from sauce.
They might be known as THCA diamonds, weed diamonds, the world’s most expensive hash, or several other trade names, but they are all crystalized THC acid (THCA) made from a terpene-rich, concentrated cannabis in liquid form, known for its runny texture and sheen. Sizes and shapes can range widely and are influenced by the temperature, moisture, solvents, and impurities and not the quality of them. They can be small particles all the way up to large chunks.
Cannabis diamonds are pure THCA (99 percent pure with the other one percent being terpenes and other cannabinoids) in a solid form.
Making Cannabis Diamonds
Making weed diamonds, or diamond mining (sometimes called “jar tech” as the process is sometimes performed in a canning or mason jar), is the process of extracting formed crystals from a liquid. At their most basic level, diamonds are concentrated THC-rich crystals. They are plucked from sauce at the right time from a closed-loop extraction method.
They are borne from sauce, the equivalent of amniotic fluid or the primordial ooze that life sprung from. Maybe it is not quite that dramatic, but it is where the diamonds come from.
The sauce is where the magic happens. Under pressure and heat, major cannabinoids are separated out into diamonds and a very terpene-rich, viscous fluid. Like any other cannabis extraction method, a liquid, butane solvent is used to separate the compounds, lipids, and terpenes from the trichome gland, forming the resulting solution. Heat and pressure are then introduced until the solvent starts to evaporate, setting the stage for crystal formation. Some producers help the process along by adding “seeds.” This can be done by freezing and then thawing a part of the extract which then creates the foundation for the THCA compounds to form around and create a diamond.
Grease Chunky HCFSE (Grease Monkey), courtesy of Excalibur Extracts | Grown by GLM Gardens | Photo by Eighth Contrast Photography
The solvent then needs to be removed from the solution so the cannabis extracts, in this case diamonds, are safe to consume. The difference in making weed diamonds from other types of extracts is that a part of the solvent is left behind. Up to 15 percent of the solvent remains and is slowly purged over a period of many days up to many weeks. This slow purge of the excess solvent is what is required for the crystal THCA structure to develop. Fluctuations in temperature, either by design or by chance, will affect the finished product. Small diamonds are easier to make and are more consistent. Larger ones can fetch a higher price as they are more of a novelty, but most consumers of diamonds do not opt for the bigger ones once they have tried the smaller ones. This is good news for producers since smaller ones do not require as much effort to produce.
When the process is complete, there should be pure THCA crystalline diamonds, and a sauce containing more than 30 to 50 percent terpenes and other cannabinoids. Producers can further refine the diamonds with a hydrocarbon wash in a substance like pentane to remove any residual and lingering solvent material. The diamond has no flavor to speak of, so they are infused with terpenes for the desired flavor profile. Producers can make other cannabis products with this terpene-rich liquid or incorporate it into existing products. Diamonds can be made from other cannabinoids as well, like CBD, but THCA is the most sought-after.
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How to Consume Weed Diamonds
Cannabis diamonds can be used alone or added to other products. The key is to heat them up to convert the THCA into THC. Some individuals add them to blunts or bowls. Some diamond connoisseurs smoke them in joints, bongs, spliffs, or hookahs. Others vape them with a dab rig, e-rig, or other type of vaporizer. They are sometimes consumed in a concoction of butane hash oil and kief known as “caviar.” When THCA is still in liquid form, it can also be used topically.
Additionally, THCA diamonds can be further processed into a powder and then used in a variety of applications as well.
Kush Mints cured resin (Animal Mints X Bubba Kush) courtesy of Excalibur Extracts | Grown by Park Plant Gardens | Photo by Eighth Contrast Photography
With the ability to isolate different terpenes and cannabinoids, consumers can get just the right single component or mix they are looking for, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes. Yes, diamonds can get you high if that is what you are looking for. If they are heated so the THCA is converted to THC, then the vapor can be inhaled and deliver the desired high. By itself, THCA does not produce the same psychoactive effects on the body as THC. When the concentrated THCA is heated, though, the THC levels can be in the 70 to 90 percent range.
Diamonds can be used to relieve symptoms of many afflictions. Essentially anything that THC will help to relieve, THCA will as well so long as it is heated up. While certainly not exhaustive and always changing due to studies, this includes such ailments and afflictions as chronic pain, nausea, insomnia and other sleep disorders, seizures, epilepsy, muscle spasms, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
Plan to pay more for these cannabis products than other concentrates — probably twice as much on average. Part of the increased cost is due to the extra time required to create the diamonds, but also because of their extra high purity. Because they are relatively new to the market, their price will likely fluctuate until it levels off once a steady demand is established.
A Final Word on Weed Diamonds
Weed diamonds are still federally illegal to consume. Because THC is the active component, diamonds are still classified as a Schedule I drug. Many states do allow their use, but like the everchanging landscape of cannabis legislation, any potential consumer of diamonds should know what the risks are to consuming them in their respective state or Canadian province.
There are several active court cases in various U.S. states that are evaluating the status of cannabis concentrates such as diamonds, and some states have outright specifically banned weed diamonds. Cannabis laws are likely to remain a moving target, with wildly ranging restrictions and allowances from region to region. With the relative newness of weed diamonds, they are likely to fly under the radar for a while, but it is still best to know what the laws are where you live to make an informed decision about whether to use weed diamonds. Some industry experts predict diamonds will remain illegal due to their high potency, even while other cannabis concentrates are still allowed on the market. This is, of course, just speculation though; only time will tell.
Make sure you are only buying your weed diamonds from a licensed cannabis dealer. Because diamonds are more difficult to make and more complex than other concentrates, there is more potential for something to go wrong in the process. Be wary of buying black market cannabis diamonds. In a similar vein, unless you are experienced in the manufacture of extracts and have a firm understanding of chemistry and the ramifications of mixing incompatible substances, leave the diamond making to the professionals.
