Close watchers of the cannabis market are surely aware of the recent advent of THC diamonds: A new, ultra-purified form of THC concentrate that has rapidly become the gold standard amongst stoners everywhere. On their own, THC diamonds don’t offer the full benefits of the cannabis plant, but they do an excellent job of rendering THC down to its most purified form so it can easily be mixed with live resin terpenes.

In this guide, we’ll examine what crystal THC diamonds are and unpack how they’re already affecting the cannabis market. While the spread of THC diamonds throughout the cannabis space is unlikely to be mind-blowing, it will certainly disrupt the industry to a certain degree. Let’s learn all about THC diamonds — what they do, what they’re used for, how they compare to other extracts, and more.

What is the purest form of THC?

Using advanced lab equipment, it’s possible to remove nearly 100% of the impurities in THC-rich cannabis extract. The resulting substance is often called “THC isolate” and comes in a few different forms.

THC isolate powder, for instance, is convenient for adding to orally ingested products but it isn’t great for vaping. You can dab THC diamonds if you want, however, even if the flavor can be somewhat disappointing.

What is a THC diamond?

THC diamonds are hard, gem-like nuggets of cannabis extract that consist of almost 100% THC. Created by applying a further layer of extraction to sauce or a similarly unrefined form of cannabis concentrate, THC diamonds do not contain any considerable concentrations of waxes, chlorophyll, or other contaminants that can sometimes reduce the quality of a THC extract. At the same time, however, they don’t include any reasonable concentrations of minor cannabinoids or cannabis terpenes, making it necessary to reintroduce these substances from other sources if desired.

Are THC diamonds distillate?

In the sense that they have been through a distillation process to remove contaminants, THC crystals could be considered distillates. True cannabis distillates, however, retain minor cannabinoids and terpenes during the extraction and purification process, resulting in an extract that doesn’t consist nearly entirely of THC like cannabis diamonds do.

Overview of THC diamonds

To better understand what THC diamonds are and their growing place within the cannabis market, let’s take a look at what they’re used for and instead of as well as their effects, activation time, and pricing:

Best for

On their own, diamonds are ideal for using high concentrations of THC without ingesting any other substances. Combined with terpenes, THC diamonds simply represent a purer and more potent approach to any of the ways people currently use cannabis.

Used instead of

Cannabis users are starting to prefer THC diamonds to isolate and other types of extract that may be less potent or harder to use. This ultra-refined form of THC is especially popular among cannabis dabbers, who appreciate the simplicity and extreme potency of cannabis diamonds.

Effects

If they aren’t boosted with terpenes, THC diamonds will have extremely potent but quite generic effects. The sativa, indica, or hybrid properties of THC products are caused by the terpenes they contain, so an extract like THC diamonds that doesn’t contain any terpenes at all will provide the equivalent of perfectly balanced hybrid effects.

Activation time

THC diamonds kick in just about as quickly as any other type of cannabis extract. You might experience slightly faster-than-usual activation times with cannabis diamonds due to their increased potency.

THC diamonds price

While some producers might charge a premium, THC diamonds usually go for around the same price as similar weights of other types of cannabis concentrate. That’s because the process used to make THC diamonds isn’t that different from the process used to make THC isolate, meaning cannabis producers don’t have to stray too far out of their way to go diamond mining.

How are THC diamonds better than other types of extracts?

Even though they’re new to the space and relatively unknown, THC diamonds are rapidly growing in popularity. Some cannabis consumers are starting to prefer diamonds to other cannabis extract types — find out why:

THC diamonds vs. shatter

Diamonds are similar to shatter in consistency, but they’re far purer. Despite its brittle texture, shatter doesn’t offer much higher average purity than wax or crumble, and it still contains both useful (terpenes, minor cannabinoids) and detrimental (waxes, chlorophyll) contaminants.

THC diamonds vs. wax

Cannabis wax and diamonds are completely different in consistency with wax usually being slightly more viscous than THC oil. Diamonds are usually quite a bit more potent than wax while also offering higher purity.

THC diamonds vs. crumble

Crumble is a type of wax that has undergone more aeration during the extraction process. With approximately the same stats as wax, crumble is inferior to diamonds both in purity and potency but includes terpenes and minor cannabinoids, which THC diamond crystals do not.

Types of THC diamonds

While all THC diamonds are the same in that they’re crystalline and consist of almost 100% THC, there are a few different types of THC diamond products currently available on the market. Some examples include:

Crystalline THC diamonds

Crystal THC diamonds are the simplest option, and they consist entirely of hard THC crystals you can crush up or gently melt. THC diamond crystals don’t contain any minor cannabinoids or terpenes, though.

Live resin THC diamonds

THC diamonds are sometimes called “live resin THC diamonds” when they’ve been boosted with live resin cannabis terpenes. These diamonds smell and taste just like live resin THC distillate and offer effects that are even more potent.

THC diamond wax

When combined with terp sauce to achieve a waxy consistency, THC diamonds are sometimes called wax. No THC diamonds are true “wax,” since this term refers to a type of extract that can only be produced via distillation.

THC diamond sauce

“THC diamond sauce” is the most accurate term used to describe the substance that results when you combine THC diamonds with terpene sauce. The resulting mixture has a sauce-like consistency and smells strongly of terpenes.

The bottom line: Will diamonds change cannabis?

The cannabis industry is evolving all the time, and THC diamonds are simply the most recent symptom of this evolution. In the end, though, there’s nothing all that revolutionary about THC diamonds — they’re simply a new form of THC isolate that you can dab more easily and combine with terpenes.

Sure, the potency of THC diamonds is impressive, but realistically speaking, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. The biggest impact THC diamonds might have on the cannabis space is the establishment of a new baseline for THC isolate quality.

THC diamonds FAQs

1. How do you spot fake THC diamonds?

Fake THC diamonds will not have the beautiful, yellowish gleam of true cannabis gems. They’ll be powdery, the wrong color, or have an unusual aroma. Buy THC diamonds from trusted producers to avoid getting your hands on a counterfeit product.

2. Are there 99.9% THC diamonds?

Most cannabis diamonds consist of close to 99.9% THC. Every other substance is removed to result in the purest and most effective THC extract you’ve ever used.

3. Is crystalline THCa the same thing as THC diamonds?

Since most THC diamonds consist almost entirely of THCa anyway, THCa diamonds and THC diamonds are essentially the same thing. True THCa diamonds, however, don’t contain any converted THC at all. Remember that THCa naturally converts into THC at low heat.

4. Can you add THC diamonds to terp sauce?

Yes, it’s possible to add THC diamonds to terp sauce, and the resulting substance is sometimes called “THC diamond sauce.” Since terpenes are volatile and hard to mix, however, we recommend leaving this process to the experts.

5. Can you put THC diamonds in edibles?

Yes, some cannabis producers are starting to add THC diamonds to edibles. Kanha’s Live Resin Gummies, for instance, now feature a mixture of THC diamonds and live resin terpenes.

6. How do you make THC diamonds at home?

It is not recommended that you try to make THC diamonds at home. The process involves intense heat and pressure and can result in injury or property damage.

7. What is the biggest THC diamond ever made?

According to Seattle’s The Stranger magazine, the biggest THC diamond ever made weighed 97 grams or 3.4 ounces. Containing 85,360 grams of THC, this rock would be enough to get you and 854 of your closest friends pleasantly stoned.

8. Are there THC liquid diamonds?

Even when combined with terp sauce, THC diamonds have a viscous consistency that couldn’t accurately be called “liquid.” We aren’t aware of any fully liquid or drinkable THC diamond products on the market, but California cannabis producer ABX commonly refers to its sauce-diamond mixture as “liquid diamonds” anyway.