After auction, hama-age pearls are sent to processing factories throughout Japan. There the pearls undergo sorting, treatment, drilling, matching, and final preparation before entering the international jewelry market.

The first stage of processing involves additional sorting by size, shape, luster, color, surface quality, and nacre characteristics. Pearls exhibiting exceptional luster and matching may be separated for higher-end classification, including hanadama-level material.

Depending on the producer and the characteristics of the harvest, pearls may undergo various post-harvest treatments before final matching and preparation. These treatments are discussed in the following section.

Pearls are then drilled and polished before being matched into strands and pairs. Matching is one of the most labor-intensive parts of the process. Technicians sort through large quantities of pearls searching for similarities in luster, color, shape, overtone, nacre quality, and surface appearance.

A well-matched strand may require thousands of pearls to assemble. Even among pearls harvested from the same farm and processed at the same facility, subtle differences in color, luster, shape, and surface quality can make matching a complex and highly specialized skill.

Once matching is complete, pearls are strung into necklaces, assembled into jewelry, or prepared for wholesale distribution throughout Japan and the international market.