Sex toys have often been seen as gaudy-colored inelegant objects, but now these adult products used to spice up our sex lives are moving in a different, more refined, direction.

Grandfather Clock

Unveiled at Dutch Design Week in Amsterdam, this dildo created by the designer Bastiaan Buijs is unusual in that a clock mechanism is visible through its glass tube. In the specialist design website Dezeen he explained that "people use vibrators all over the world, but are ashamed about it". He added "Lust is as normal as feeling hungry or thirsty (...) it need not be hidden away". To work the Grandfather Clock, which is made of hand-blown glass and brass, you simply have to turn a key. (Price upon request)

Vesper

Much less spectacular, but just as beautiful, is the "Vesper" vibrator by Crave, a sex toy company. This vibrator, which can be worn as a pendant, is in the form of a small tube. It has just one button and four modes: low, medium, high and pulsing. It is fully coated in stainless steel, and available in three colors: silver, rose gold and gold plating. It can also be charged via a USB port and inscribed with a personal message. (Priced at around €63)

Tenga 3D Series

Tenga 3D are not only beautiful objects which could easily be used as sculptures in your lounge, they are also masturbators for men. Their sleeve is flipped inside out to reveal an interior made from textured material which is sexually stimulating. Designed in an antibacterial material, the Tenga 3D has a drying and storage stand which ensures perfect hygiene. It is available in five designs (Spiral, Module, Zen, Polygon and Pile). In 2012, it received the Red Dot Design Award, which is a prestigious prize in the design sector. (Priced at €36.95 - €59.99)

Julian Snelling

Julian Snelling is an artist with links to France and London who specializes in erotic products. His creations look more like hand-crafted pieces than sex toys. His most well-known designs, which are on display at the Erotic Museum in Paris, are his plugs, some of which are decorated with horse hair. (Priced from €99 to €299)