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Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Sales Returns Roll Forward [Abstract] |
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Sales Returns Roll Forward | The following is a summary of the activity of the Company's allowance for doubtful accounts and sales returns for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands):
|  |  | Balance at |  |  |  |  |  | Balance at
|  |  | Beginning |  |  |  |  |  | End of
|  |  | of Period |  | Additions |  | Deductions |  | Period
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Sales |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Returns: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 2013 |  | $ | 8,240 |  | $ | 4,386 |  | $ | (5,569) |  | $ | 7,057
| 2012 |  | $ | 8,584 |  | $ | 7,298 |  | $ | (7,642) |  | $ | 8,240
| 2011 |  | $ | 6,196 |  | $ | 9,932 |  | $ | (7,544) |  | $ | 8,584
Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on a Recurring Basis [Abstract] |
Fair Value, Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring Basis | The following table represents the Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2013 (in thousands):
|  |  |  |  |  |  | Quoted Prices |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | in Active |  | Significant |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | Markets |  | Other |  | Significant
|  |  |  | Total at |  | for Identical |  | Observable |  | Unobservable
|  |  |  | December 31, |  | Assets |  | Inputs |  | Inputs
|  |  |  | 2013 |  | (Level 1) |  | (Level 2) |  | (Level 3)
Assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| U.S. Treasury securities |  | $ | 556,539 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 556,539 |  | $ | -
| Foreign government securities |  |  | 139,670 |  |  | - |  |  | 139,670 |  |  | -
| Corporate debt securities |  |  | 629,434 |  |  | - |  |  | 629,434 |  |  | -
| Time deposits |  |  | 74,050 |  |  | - |  |  | 74,050 |  |  | -
| Equity securities |  |  | 147 |  |  | - |  |  | 147 |  |  | -
| Other cash equivalents |  |  | 62,851 |  |  | - |  |  | 62,851 |  |  | -
| Waters 401(k) Restoration Plan assets |  |  | 31,203 |  |  | - |  |  | 31,203 |  |  | -
| Foreign currency exchange contract |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | agreements |  |  | 929 |  |  | - |  |  | 929 |  |  | -
|  | Total |  | $ | 1,494,823 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 1,494,823 |  | $ | -
Liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Foreign currency exchange contract |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | agreements |  | $ | 88 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 88 |  | $ | -
|  | Total |  | $ | 88 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 88 |  | $ | -
The following table represents the Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recu rring basis at December 31, 2012 (in thousands):
|  |  |  |  |  |  | Quoted Prices |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | in Active |  | Significant |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | Markets |  | Other |  | Significant
|  |  |  | Total at |  | for Identical |  | Observable |  | Unobservable
|  |  |  | December 31, |  | Assets |  | Inputs |  | Inputs
|  |  |  | 2012 |  | (Level 1) |  | (Level 2) |  | (Level 3)
Assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| U.S. Treasury securities |  | $ | 470,421 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 470,421 |  | $ | -
| Foreign government securities |  |  | 313,237 |  |  | - |  |  | 313,237 |  |  | -
| Corporate debt securities |  |  | 311,607 |  |  | - |  |  | 311,607 |  |  | -
| Time deposits |  |  | 64,037 |  |  | - |  |  | 64,037 |  |  | -
| Equity securities |  |  | 70 |  |  | - |  |  | 70 |  |  | -
| Other cash equivalents |  |  | 44,850 |  |  | - |  |  | 44,850 |  |  | -
| Waters 401(k) Restoration Plan assets |  |  | 24,827 |  |  | - |  |  | 24,827 |  |  | -
| Foreign currency exchange contract |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | agreements |  |  | 1,173 |  |  | - |  |  | 1,173 |  |  | -
|  | Total |  | $ | 1,230,222 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 1,230,222 |  | $ | -
Liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Foreign currency exchange contract |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | agreements |  | $ | 693 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 693 |  | $ | -
|  | Total |  | $ | 693 |  | $ | - |  | $ | 693 |  | $ | -
Summary of Derivative Instruments by Risk Exposure [Abstract] |
Gains (Losses) on Foreign Exchange Contracts | The following is a summary of the activity in the statements of operations related to the forward foreign exc hange contracts (in thousands):
|  |  | Year Ended December 31,
|  |  | 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
Realized gains (losses) on closed contracts |  | $ | 8,666 |  | $ | 4,186 |  | $ | (2,233)
Unrealized gains (losses) on open contracts |  |  | 361 |  |  | 1,716 |  |  | (1,035)
| Cumulative net pre-tax gains (losses) |  | $ | 9,027 |  | $ | 5,902 |  |  | (3,268)
Fair Value of Forward Foreign Exchange Contracts | The Company's foreign currency exchange contracts included in the consolidated balance sheets are classi fied as follows (in thousands):
|  |  | December 31, 2013 |  | December 31, 2012
Other current assets |  | $ | 929 |  | $ | 1,173
Other current liabilities |  | $ | 88 |  | $ | 693
Warranty Accrual Roll Forward [Abstract] |
Warranty Accrual Roll Forward | The following is a summary of the activity of the Company's accrued warranty liability for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands):
|  |  | Balance at |  |  |  |  |  | Balance at
|  |  | Beginning |  | Accruals for |  | Settlements |  | End of
|  |  | of Period |  | Warranties |  | Made |  | Period
Accrued warranty liability: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 2013 |  | $ | 12,353 |  | $ | 8,466 |  | $ | (7,857) |  | $ | 12,962
| 2012 |  | $ | 13,258 |  | $ | 7,212 |  | $ | (8,117) |  | $ | 12,353
| 2011 |  | $ | 11,272 |  | $ | 10,175 |  | $ | (8,189) |  | $ | 13,258

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of assets and liabilities, including [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity, if any, that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The disclosures contemplated herein include the fair value measurements at the reporting date by the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19190-110258 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the presentation of foreign exchange contracts on the statement of financial position, including the fair value amounts and location of such amounts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4B -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7476318&loc=SL5624163-113959 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the changes in the guarantor's aggregate product warranty liability, including the beginning balance of the aggregate product warranty liability, the aggregate reductions in that liability for payments made (in cash or in kind) under the warranty, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to product warranties issued during the reporting period, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to preexisting warranties (including adjustments related to changes in estimates), and the ending balance of the aggregate product warranty liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 + Details
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