Larry I do a few wood projects for my wife each year in my full outfitted wood shop.
I much prefer Danish oil for several but occasionally use Minwax's Helmsman Spar varnish and I think the final coat is level and glossy enough for HER taste
I did (one time) wait for it to harden a few weeks (no not days...too humid here) and used 3M auto Polish ( I forget the grit) and a orbital machine...she loved it, but my old poor eyes could not really see the difference
Truth is.... the answer lies within what are you building and finishing...a table / shelf top requires a lot more attention to detail than a chair set or stool legs