Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a circular abrasive cloth on a turntable, and a top ring for holding a workpiece and pressing the workpiece against the circular abrasive cloth to polish the workpiece while the circular abrasive cloth is rotated about a center axis and the workpiece is rotated by the top ring about a top ring axis located at a positioned spaced from the center axis. The position is spaced from the center axis by a distance rc, and the workpiece has a radius rw. When the workpiece is not angularly moved with respect to the circular abrasive cloth wile the workpiece is being polished, a ratio Rc=rc/rw is in a range from 1.10 to 2.60. When the workpiece is angularly moved at a radius rs through an angular displacement .o slashed. (degrees) in arcuate reciprocating motions with respect to the circular abrasive cloth, a ratio Rs=rs/rw, the angular displacement .o slashed., and the ratio Rc are selected to be of a certain relationship.