Abstract <p>The effect of the amount of the hydrolyzing agent on the kinetics of hydrolysis of a lead zirconate titanate precursor solution is discussed in terms of the rate of change in the hydrodynamic diameters of the primary particles of the sol formed at the first stage, the evolution of particle size distributions, and the rheological and optical properties of the colloidal system. It is shown that variation in the hydrolyzing agent : organometallic compound ratio is an effective governing factor at the early stage of the sol–gel synthesis of piezoceramics of the lead zirconate titanate system; it provides the formation of a gel with required particle sizes at a controlled rate.</p>