We present an improved preparation method for, and experimental results on, high-quality crystals of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) grown by thermal oxidation. X-ray diffraction and low-temperature optical measurements at 2K confirm excellent characteristics that are on par with natural-growth cuprite crystals. Synthetic Cu2O crystals were prepared in different geometries including platelets, cylindrical wires, and spheroids. Interestingly, we observed that the oxidation of Cu wires at high temperatures leads to the formation of hollow tubules of Cu2O. Such unconventional structures of Cu2O could be utilized to confine excitonic matter, or serve as high-density exciton-polariton cavities. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.