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Share Repurchase Program and Treasury Stock (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014
Share Repurchase Program and Treasury Stock (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |  |
Authorized amount under share repurchase program | $ 3,000,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 |  |
Remaining Amount to Repurchase under the program | 354,600,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1 |  |
Shares Purchased Under Share Repurchase Program | 23,500,000 mtd_SharesRepurchasedUnderShareRepurchaseProgram |  |
Repurchases of common stock | $ (123,745,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod | $ (82,498,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod | $ (414,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
Number of shares repurchased | 400,845 us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired | 336,188 us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired |
Average price of share repurchased, per share | $ 308.69 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare | $ 245.37 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare |
Exercise of stock options and restricted stock units, shares reissued | 125,398 mtd_ExerciseOfStockOptionsAndRestrictedStockUnitsSharesTreasuryStockReissued | 69,442 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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- 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 Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized. + References No definition available. + 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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- Definition Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Equity impact of the cost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: 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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