I just went and looked at what's out there. They look much like the shoubu damascus colored stone that I got from takeshi kuroda, and it's a good stone. I would not hesitate to buy one of those were I in your shoes. I can't guarantee that they're like my stone, but my stone is a very capable finisher...very capable.
You literally could finish thousands of razors on that type 100 size, and maintain every razor you're likely to ever use again. Don't let the price fool you - mine is better than any thuringian I've tried, including labeled eschers, and cost more only because it is a full sized stone. Because small stones, even those of quality, are very common in japan, and large type 24 stones are not, the price difference between them is based on rarity and not capability.