Is the stone coating on the utensils worth the money, or is it just a fad.
it's all just marketing. good pans have no kind of coating on them that wears off. cast iron pans and stainless steel layered pans are best, they have no chemical coating that may stick on the food you're cooking. but they have to be properly maintained to prevent sticking.
I personally like ceramic pans a lot. Very non-stick. As far as durability goes, I can't comment though as I don't cook very often. I do know that cast iron pans just don't quit though, so long as they are well taken care of.
Ceramic is great if you stick to wood, silicone, or nylon utensils; metal will chip the coating.