Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	$ 601,114	$ 490,213	$ 1,660,968	$ 1,375,413
Net Sales to Other Segments	0	0	0	0
Total net sales	601,114	490,213	1,660,968	1,375,413
Segment Profit	98,517	85,760	266,827	226,125
Goodwill	452,158	448,332	452,158	448,332	434,699
U.S. Operations [Member]
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	173,449	158,363	488,678	445,820
Net Sales to Other Segments	20,160	13,856	58,260	42,800
Total net sales	193,609	172,219	546,938	488,620
Segment profit	33,139	30,860	86,303	85,343
Goodwill	307,631	319,145	307,631	319,145
Swiss Operations [Member]
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	38,945	27,147	102,769	76,270
Net Sales to Other Segments	109,015	85,307	301,766	238,217
Total net sales	147,960	112,454	404,535	314,487
Segment profit	29,687	22,857	80,745	61,253
Goodwill	23,988	19,732	23,988	19,732
Western European Operations [Member]
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	173,367	138,670	493,646	414,738
Net Sales to Other Segments	27,693	23,444	79,370	65,098
Total net sales	201,060	162,114	573,016	479,836
Segment profit	26,273	17,001	65,349	51,633
Goodwill	104,823	95,137	104,823	95,137
Chinese Operations [Member]
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	105,053	81,211	275,611	208,809
Net Sales to Other Segments	26,866	30,238	91,636	77,060
Total net sales	131,919	111,449	367,247	285,869
Segment profit	27,065	26,333	82,197	65,086
Goodwill	707	666	707	666
Other Operations [Member]
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	110,300	84,822	300,264	229,776
Net Sales to Other Segments	1,981	1,278	4,316	2,955
Total net sales	112,281	86,100	304,580	232,731
Segment profit	15,058	9,341	35,165	19,962
Goodwill	15,009	13,652	15,009	13,652
Eliminations and Corporate [Member]
Operations of the Company's operating segments
Net Sales to External Customers	0	0	0	0
Net Sales to Other Segments	(185,715)	(154,123)	(535,348)	(426,130)
Total net sales	(185,715)	(154,123)	(535,348)	(426,130)
Segment profit	(32,705)	(20,632)	(82,932)	(57,152)
Goodwill	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0