Typically, most people will want to wear their wedding ring whenever possible and won’t have any problems with doing that.
However, there are some cases when it becomes necessary to cut off a ring.
There are some metals that may or may not be able to be cut off in an emergency and it’s important to know what type you have.
Some wedding rings that can be cut off are rings made out of titanium, cobalt, stainless steel, platinum, zirconium, gold, or silver. Tungsten or ceramic wedding rings cannot be cut off and would need to be removed in other ways such as shattering or breaking the ring.
When looking for a wedding ring, it may be important to take into account the materials the ring is made out of.
It’s important to have an understanding of which materials can be cut off in the event of an emergency.
If you’re worried about events like this, it may be best to buy a ring that’s made of cuttable metal.
Why Would a Wedding Ring Need to be Cut Off?
There are a few situations where a wedding ring would need to be cut off to be removed.
Most of them would likely involve an emergency where there is no other option.
There are some events where people are unable to get their ring off on their own and have tried every other option.
Cutting off a wedding ring, in this case, would be the last resort option, but it may be necessary.
However, the most common situation for people needing to cut off their wedding ring happens in the event of some sort of emergency.
Maybe their finger got stuck or the ring got caught in something and the only option is to cut off the ring.
It’s not common, but if some emergency does take place, you should be aware of the materials and metals your ring is made out of.
Quick Overview Guide
Here is a quick list to summarize which types of rings can and cannot be cut off:
Rings that can be Cut Off
- Gold
- Titanium
- Stainless Steel
- Cobalt
- Tantalum
- Platinum
Rings that cannot be cut off
- Tungsten
- Ceramic
Here is some information in a table if it’s easier to read and understand in this way:
| Type of Ring: | Can Be Cut Off | Cannot Be Cut Off | Other Removal Options |
| Gold | Yes | No | |
| Tungsten | No | Yes | Shattering the ring using a device or other tool like a vice grip |
| Titanium | Yes | No | |
| Stainless Steel | Yes | No | |
| Ceramic | No | Yes | Shattering the ring using a device or other tool like a ring cracker |
| Cobalt | Yes | No | |
| Tantalum | Yes | No | |
| Platinum | Yes | No |
Gold Rings
In the event that the ring needs to be removed, a gold ring will be one of the easiest ones to remove or cut off.
Luckily, gold is quite a soft metal and is actually pretty malleable.
This makes it among the easiest metals to cut off and remove in the event of an emergency.
For a gold ring to be cut off, all you’ll need is a high-quality ring cutter.
If possible, it’s preferable to have one with a high-quality steel blade.
Professional ring cutters are another option for cutting a gold ring, but a diamond blade ring cutter would not be a good option for gold or other soft metals.
Tungsten Rings
Tungsten rings are a very popular metal used in wedding bands.
There is an increasing number of people who are choosing tungsten for the material of their wedding rings.
They make beautiful rings but are also difficult to cut off.
Tungsten is actually one of the hardest metals on earth and is also among the hardest metals used in jewelry.
In fact, tungsten rings are too hard to cut.
In emergencies, tungsten rings are only able to be removed from fingers by shattering the ring.
This is done by using a tool or device like the vice grip or grip locking pliers.
The only way to remove this type of ring is by shattering it.
This actually uses the same technique that is used when removing natural stones from wedding bands.
Titanium
Titanium rings can be cut off. To cut this type of ring off, it will either need to be cut manually or with strong powered ring cutters.
Typically, firemen will need to use a high-quality, diamond-coated disc to cut off titanium rings.
Another option may be a cutting tool with a tempered steel blade.
However, titanium is still one of the metals that is the most difficult to cut off.
In most cases, a diamond blade will be the best option to cut it off because it works rather quickly.
In addition to this, diamond blades are typically more durable and long-lasting than a steel blade.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel rings can be easily cut off during emergencies.
It’s actually not that hard of a metal and can even be cut off with some regular cutting equipment.
In addition to this, stainless steel is a poor conductor of electricity.
This means there is no risk of electric shock and it will not hurt when the ring is being cut off.
Ceramic
Ceramic rings are the other type of ring that cannot be cut off.
Ceramic is just too hard and if there is an emergency that requires its removal, ceramic rings can only be removed by being shattered.
Quite a bit of pressure is required to shatter ceramic rings.
The proper equipment should be used to make sure that the ring is shattered correctly and that your fingers aren’t damaged in the process.
To shatter and remove a ceramic ring, a ring cracker is often needed.
This is due to the high density and extreme strength of ceramic rings.
Cobalt
Cobalt is another one of the hardest metals used in jewelry.
Like titanium, cobalt is also very difficult to remove, but it’s not impossible.
Using a diamond blade or disc, cobalt rings can be cut off. Tempered steel blade tools can also be used for cobalt ring removal.
Tantalum
Tantalum is easy to cut and so it can be easily removed in the event of an emergency.
Similar cutting tools and blades can be used to cut off and remove this type of ring if it becomes necessary.
Platinum Rings
Platinum is another metal that is rather soft and has a hardness level similar to gold and silver.
This means that platinum rings can be cut off with regular cutting tools.
The main difference between platinum, silver, and gold is that platinum is a rather dense precious metal.
You should only need a high-quality and high-speed steel blade to cut off a platinum ring.
A diamond blade cutter isn’t recommended for cutting this type of ring.
