1.0.0.3 false Description of Business and Organization false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 2 Description of Business and Organization [Abstract] 0 wat_DescriptionOfBusinessAndOrganizationAbstract wat false na duration string Description of Business and Organization [Abstract] false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false Description of Business and Organization [Abstract] false 3 Description of Business and Organization 1 us-gaap_NatureOfOperations us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 <div><div><a name="_AUC12464797e596405f9f077a04cb4fc7ab">1  Description of Business and Organization</a>   Waters Corporation (“Waters” or the “Company”), an analytical instrument manufacturer, primarily designs, manufactures, sells and services, through its Waters Division, high performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”), ultra performance liquid chromatography (“UPLC®” and together with HPLC, referred to as “LC”) and mass spectrometry (“MS”) instrument systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products and comprehensive post-warranty service plans. These systems are complementary products that can be integrated together and used along with other analytical instruments. LC is a standard technique and is utilized in a broad range of industries to detect, identify, monitor and measure the chemical, physical and biological composition of materials, and to purify a full range of compounds. MS instruments are used in drug discovery and development, including clinical trial testing, the analysis of proteins in disease processes (known as “proteomics”), food safety analysis and environmental testing. LC is often combined with MS to create LC-MS instruments that include a liquid phase sample introduction and separation system with mass spectrometric compound identification and quantification. Through its TA Division (“TA®”), the Company primarily designs, manufactures, sells and services thermal analysis, rheometry and calorimetry instruments, which are used in predicting the suitability of fine chemicals, polymers and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer goods and healthcare products, as well as for life science research. The Company is also a developer and supplier of software-based products that interface with the Company’s instruments and are typically purchased by customers as part of the instrument system. </div></div> 1  Description of Business and Organization   Waters Corporation (“Waters” or the “Company”), an analytical instrument false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true