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Shareholders' Equity Textuals (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Jan. 30, 2015
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Common Stock, Shares Authorized | 125,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized | 125,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized |  |
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare |  | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Common Stock, Voting Rights | one |  |  |
Common Stock Reserved for Issuance to the Stock Option Plans | 4,389,320 mtd_SharesReservedForGrantForStockOptionPlan |  |  |
Preferred Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized | 10,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized | 10,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized |  |
Preferred Stock, Par Value | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare |  |
Share Repurchase Program and Treasury Stock [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount | $ 3,000,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 |  |  |
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount | 478,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1 |  |  |
Shares Repurchased Under Share Repurchase Program | 23,100,000 mtd_SharesRepurchasedUnderShareRepurchaseProgram |  |  |
Repurchases of Common Stock, Value | $ (414,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod | $ (294,976,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod | $ (278,672,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod |
Repurchases of Common Stock, Shares | (1,617,499)us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired | (1,321,577)us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired |  |
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share | $ 255.93 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare | $ 223.18 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare |  |
Exercise of stock options and restricted stock units, shares | 373,431 mtd_ExerciseOfStockOptionsAndRestrictedStockUnitsSharesTreasuryStockReissued | 398,646 mtd_ExerciseOfStockOptionsAndRestrictedStockUnitsSharesTreasuryStockReissued |  |

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- Definition Number of treasury shares reissued during the period as a result of the exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock units. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Shares repurchased program-to-date by a Company's share repurchase program. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of shares reserved for grant under the Company's Stock Option Plan. The amount represents the total shares available for grant plus the total shares outstanding. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Face amount or stated value per share of common stock. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Description of voting rights of common stock. Includes eligibility to vote and votes per share owned. Include also, if any, unusual voting rights. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21475-112644 + Details
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- Definition Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655 + Details
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