The American Watch Guild is attempting to raise $1 million for cancer research. The effort is expected to take about two years. The money will go to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

The project was unveiled July 27 by AWG chairman Ralph Destinoa, former chairman of Cartier Inc., and Bert Kalisher, AWG manager at the JA New York Summer Show.

The project will initially involve AWG’s 240-plus retail jeweler members, who sell fine watches, and the 90 member watch companies and suppliers. But AWG officials said they hope the project will expand to involve other U.S. jewelers and jewelry organizations.

According to the plan, AWG retail jewelers will offer free watch checkups to any consumer and then, in lieu of payment, encourage the customer to make a donation to the cancer center.

The AWG will provide brochures with attached envelopes, which consumers can use to mail contributions to the Sloan-Ketteroing. Watch companies exhibiting in this year’s Concourse d’Elegenace pavilion of fine watches and accessories at the JA Show (where the announcement was made) have already donated about $77,000, said AWG officials.

The money raised will to go toward cancer research in four categories: breast, lung, prostate, and colon.

For more information about the project, contact the American watch Guild at 257 Adams Lane, Hewlett, N.Y. 11557.

JCK