General rule of thumb is that item level is what's important, not color. This isn't Diablo/Borderlands. So, white crafted gear, if high-quality, can compete with dungeon drops of an equal item level. The only thing colors mean, is that they often have an item level higher than their equip level. But if you're in your 40s, using gear from the 30s, you can pick up some HQ crafted gear off the market boards and it would be an upgrade.