Kris,
Rosewood is a very oily wood. Finishes can sometimes have a hard time sticking to it. Even if you wipe the surface with a solvent to remove the oil, the remaining oil in the wood will "wick" to the surface and cause problems later. Shellac is often the only solution to this. You can use the shellac as a sealer only, and then some of the more common finishes, or use shellac entirely as a sealer and finish, (known as a french polish). Shellac is subsceptible to water and alcohol, so you might want to use some type of polyurethane as a top coat.
As far as making it "pop", any finish will. Not one will make it "pop" more than another. Some finishes are more yellow, while others are more clear. Some like the yellow tinge while others prefer a a non yellow clear top coat. That's a personal preference.
Cheers
