XML 119 R104.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.24.0.1

Retirement Plans - Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value Measurement of Plan Assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Bank and Insurance Investment Contracts [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	$ 66,191	$ 57,994	$ 65,945
US Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,153	15,724	18,314
Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	86,587	77,697	$ 91,169
Retirement Plans [Member] | Portion at Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	104,740	93,421
Retirement Plans [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Portion at Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	38,549	35,427
Retirement Plans [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Portion at Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	66,191	57,994
Retirement Plans [Member] | US Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,153	15,724
Retirement Plans [Member] | US Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,153	15,724
Retirement Plans [Member] | US Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,153	15,724
Retirement Plans [Member] | US Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,153	15,724
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	86,587	77,697
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,785	18,176
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	1,611	1,527
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Bank and Insurance Investment Contracts [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	66,191	57,994
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	20,396	19,703
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	18,785	18,176
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Market for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	1,611	1,527
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	66,191	57,994
Retirement Plans [Member] | Non-U.S. Pension Plans [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Pension Plans [Member] | Bank and Insurance Investment Contracts [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of defined benefit plan assets	$ 66,191	$ 57,994

X

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of asset segregated and restricted to provide benefit under defined benefit plan. Asset includes, but is not limited to, stock, bond, other investment, earning from investment, and contribution by employer and employee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480482/715-20-55-17

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(02)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480506/715-20-50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(ii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480506/715-20-50-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480506/715-20-50-1

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480506/715-20-50-1

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(ii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480506/715-20-50-1

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480506/715-20-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=wat_BankAndInsuranceInvestmentContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	wat_RetirementPlanSponsorAxis=wat_UsRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPostretirementHealthCoverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	wat_RetirementPlanSponsorAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanNameAxis=wat_RetirementPlansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PortionAtFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_EquityFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: