Well-made articles of jewellery require intricate polishing and quality finishing. Typically, nooks, crevices and corners are tough to finish. These tight corners can be taken care of using ‘dhaga polish’—a process belonging to the reciprocating school of thought. It involves an abrasive medium and a thread as a carrier. This kind of polishing is required in many parts of jewellery from ring shanks to channel settings. Dhaga polishing can bring out the best in a piece of jewellery if done well but destroy the form if done carelessly. It is considered mysterious from a design and engineering perspective due to the technique, knowledge and skill required to perform it correctly. This paper lists down the various parameters and variables involved in this process and their interrelationship to help makers understand how to harness its power.