Azure

Azure

The Azure command creates open-work (ajour) cutouts under a set of gems: for every stone you select, it derives a hexagonal hole from the gem’s girdle and carves it out of a supporting metal solid underneath. It is the tool to use when you want light to pass through the piece behind the stones instead of leaving a solid metal backing.

The panel is organized into three sections: Selection, Parameters and Info.

Selection

• Gems: Select the diamonds or gemstones that should get an azure hole. Each selected gem contributes one hexagonal cutter, positioned and sized from its own girdle.
• Solid: Select the supporting closed solid (polysurface) the holes are carved into. It must be a closed solid — an open surface can’t be subtracted from, and the command warns you if the selected geometry isn’t closed.

Parameters

• Thickness: The wall thickness left between the hexagonal hole and the gem, in millimeters.
• Height: How far the hexagonal cutter rises above the solid’s surface.
• Depth: How deep the cutter reaches into the solid.
• Angle: The taper angle of the hexagon walls, in degrees. 0° gives straight walls.
• Rotation: Rotates each hexagon around its own center, in degrees.
• Boolean: When enabled, the hexagonal cutters are subtracted from the solid and the panel previews the carved result. When disabled, the cutters are only previewed alongside the untouched solid, ready to be baked separately (for example, to boolean them yourself later or reuse them for other cuts).
• Delete Original: When Boolean is on, controls whether the original supporting solid is deleted from the document once the carved result is accepted, or kept alongside it.

Info

• Min. distance: Reports the thinnest remaining metal wall between two neighboring azure holes, highlighted in the viewport with a red line at the tightest point. Use it to make sure the walls stay thick enough to hold their shape once cast.